The Joint Effects of Thunderstorms and Power Outages on Respiratory-Related Emergency Visits and Modifying and Mediating Factors of This Relationship
Shao Lin, Quan Qi, Han LiNa, Xin Deng, Ian Trees, Xiaojun Yuan, Mary P. Gallant
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While limited studies have evaluated the health impacts of thunderstorms and power outages (POs) separately, few have assessed their joint effects. We aimed to investigate the individual and joint effects of both thunderstorms and POs on respiratory diseases, to identify disparities by demographics, and to examine the modifications and mediations by meteorological factors and air pollution. METHODS: ) and relative humidity (RH) were also evaluated. RESULTS: and RH. CONCLUSION: Thunderstorms accompanied by POs showed the strongest respiratory effects. There were large disparities in thunderstorm-health associations by demographics. Meteorological factors and air pollution levels modified and mediated the thunderstorm-health effects. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13237.