Effects of ambient temperature on mental and neurological conditions in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Garam Byun, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address: garam.byun@yale.edu.
Yongsoo Choi, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Damien Foo, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Rory Stewart, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Yimeng Song, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Ji-Young Son, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Seulkee Heo, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Xuejuan Ning, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Cassandra Clark, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Honghyok Kim, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Hayon Michelle Choi, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Sera Kim, Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Soo-Yeon Kim, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.
Kate Burrows, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Jong-Tae Lee, Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; School of Health Policy and Management, College of Health Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Nicole C. Deziel, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Michelle L. Bell, School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; School of Health Policy and Management, College of Health Sciences, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

12-1-2024

Journal

Environment international

Volume

194

DOI

10.1016/j.envint.2024.109166

Keywords

Heat wave; Mental disorders; Neurological disorders; Older adults; Systematic review; Temperature

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Emerging research has suggested a link between ambient temperature and mental and neurological conditions such as depression and dementia. This systematic review aims to summarize the epidemiological evidence on the effects of ambient temperature on mental and neurological conditions in older adults, who may be more vulnerable to temperature-related health effects compared to younger individuals. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Ovid/Embase, Web of Science, and Ovid/PsycINFO on July 17, 2023, and updated on July 31, 2024. We included epidemiological studies investigating the association between ambient temperature exposures and numerous mental and neurological conditions in populations aged 60 years and older. Exclusions were made for studies on indoor or controlled exposure, suicide, substance abuse, those not published as peer-reviewed journal articles, or those not written in English. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed using a tool developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Qualitative synthesis was performed on all eligible studies, and random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on groups of at least four studies sharing similar study design, exposure metric, and health outcome. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) framework modified by the WHO. RESULTS: From 16,786 screened articles, 76 studies were deemed eligible, primarily from mainland China and North America. There was notable heterogeneity in study variables and methodologies. The most commonly used exposure metrics were daily absolute temperature and heat waves, and time-series and case-crossover analyses were the most frequently employed study designs. Meta-analysis of four studies on the effect of a 1 °C increase in temperature on hospital admissions/visits for mental disorders showed a pooled risk ratio (RR) of 1.014 (95 % Confidence Interval, CI: 1.001, 1.026). Comparing heat wave days to non-heat wave days, pooled effect estimates showed increased risk in hospital admissions/visits (RR: 1.269; 95 % CI: 1.030, 1.564; six studies) and mortality related to mental disorders (RR: 1.266; 95 % CI: 0.956, 1.678; four studies). Despite the limited number of studies on cold exposures, they consistently reported that lower temperatures were associated with an increased risk of various mental and neurological conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This review presents epidemiological evidence of the adverse impacts of ambient temperature exposures, such as high temperatures and heat waves, on mental and neurological conditions among the older adult population, with overall moderate certainty. The findings highlight the need for greater attention to the mental and neurological health of older adults in the context of climate change and population aging. Registration number (PROSPERO ID): CRD42023428137.

Department

Public Health Student Works

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