It sets up the action plan to prevent the effects of heat on health

The Department of Health, jointly with the Department of Environment and Housing through the Catalan Meteorological Service, has launched, from June 1st until September 15th , the action plan to prevent the effects of a possible heat wave on the citizens´health (PHWH).

The plan, which was activated for the first time in 2004, includes early prediction of the meteorological risk situations and minimize the negative effects of a possible heat wave.

Excessive heat leads to a sustained and increased mortality, specially in the elderly and people with chronic diseases and also increases the number of admissions to hospitals

Groups are considered particularly vulnerable to effects of heat from people over 75 years, babies, people with physical or mental disabilities who have limited mobility, the chronically sick, people who live alone, those living in precarious social conditions and taking medication that acts on the central nervous system.

The PHWH has since its inception with the collaboration of the Catalan Institute of Assistance and Social Services (ICASS), Department of Social Action and Citizenship and Civil Protection Department of the Interior, Institutional Relations and Participation, and since 2008 with the collaboration of the Department of Labor to incorporate particularly vulnerable groups such as employees working activities with exposure to high temperatures (the construction sector, agriculture).

The plan includes the distribution of health risks, developing specific action plans in each hospital to ensure support to vulnerable people, as well as collecting data on temperature and deaths in ten municipalities of Catalonia: Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat Manresa, Mataró, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sabadell, Terrassa, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona.

The plan is structured in three phases of action: the first phase is 0, which begins June 1st and ends June 15th , which consists in the following actions:

• To inform the public about what a heat wave and the recommendations to follow.
• To develop specific plans of action in clinics, health centres, health centres in hospitals, nursing homes, etc..
• To develop a census of people at risk.
• To collect the daily temperature data provided by the Meteorological Service and the number of deaths in the ten municipalities control object.

The first phase is active between 15th June and 31st August and focuses more on the evaluation of temperature data and dissemination of preventive recommendations for the most vulnerable to the effects of heat. At this stage, Reply provides health information and advice to people who request it and coordinates health services in case of detecting a case of risk. The pharmacies also offer recommendations and advice against heat.

The second phase will be started only if an unexpected rise in temperatures over the 98th percentile of maximum daily summer. In the case of the four Catalan cities are: Barcelona, 33.1 °, 32.1 Tarragona, Lleida and Girona 37.5 º C 36.1 º C. This phase will start operations of health and social services, and emergency resources, provided that this increase in temperatures is maintained for three consecutive days.

Dissemination of recommendations

The plan this year, the recommendations have been updated in the general population, as well as new contributions aimed at professionals serving people at risk. By the Meteorological Service at their website you can consult a map of Catalonia with the Contour line of the 98th percentile threshold for heat.

Regarding the informative material published by the Department of Health, 8,000 posters have printed with tips and recommendations to mitigate the effects of the heat wave that will be distributed to health centers, hospitals in the network of Catalan public hospitals, social and health care centers, mental health centers, etc.. This year has been prepared as a new video with basic advice which will be broadcasted in those health centres that have screen in the waiting rooms, as well as pharmacies. The Labour Department has distributed to companies leaflets entitled "The work in hot environments"; besides this document is available on its website "Ambient thermal heat. The Department of Social Action and Citizenship will spread the leaflet entitled "Measures to prevent environmental performance heat" through its website, in the thematic area of "elderly", "dependent persons" and " people with disabilities "

CREAL study

A preliminary CREAL study (Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology) on the effects of extreme temperatures in Catalonia, which examines the period 1983-2006, has estimated that in a day of extreme heat increased mortality in the same day and 4% in the next two at 10% and 8% respectively.

The main causes of death are cerebral vascular accidents, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Differences in sex or geographical area have not been observed, the risk is higher in the elderly and children under 1 year.

Comparison of mortality in the periods 2004-2006 and 2001-2003 shows a reduction of just 7.7%, consistent with the expected effects of a few, started in 2004 and in protecting the most vulnerable .

Vídeo: http://www10.gencat.net/catsalut/videos/pocs.html.

Source: Department of Health