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GI_Forum 2013, Volume 1Creating the GISociety – Conference Proceedings
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Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Austrian Academy of Sciences Press
A-1011 Wien, Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2
Tel. +43-1-515 81/DW 3420, Fax +43-1-515 81/DW 3400 https://verlag.oeaw.ac.at, e-mail: verlag@oeaw.ac.at |
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DATUM, UNTERSCHRIFT / DATE, SIGNATURE
BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT, WIEN (IBAN AT04 1100 0006 2280 0100, BIC BKAUATWW), DEUTSCHE BANK MÜNCHEN (IBAN DE16 7007 0024 0238 8270 00, BIC DEUTDEDBMUC)
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GI_Forum 2013, Volume 1, pp. 137-146, 2013/06/20
Creating the GISociety – Conference Proceedings
Background: Extreme heat events (EHE) are of increasing public health concern. In urban areas, micro-urban heat islands (MUHI) raise the possibility of increased mortality risk. This study identified MUHI in the city of Barcelona, Spain, using Landsat 7 thermal infrared imagery and overlaid them onto at-home deaths between 2000-2003, identified from a mortality registry and geocoded using the Google API. Hot days were defined as days with mean minimum temperatures above the 90th percentile of historic temperatures. Data were analyzed using a case-only design, with a logistic regression model adjusted for spatial autocorrelation. Results: In the period 2000-2003, at-home deaths in MUHI were associated with 15% greater odds of dying on hot days than at-home deaths outside of MUHI. Conclusions: MUHI were a risk factor for at-home deaths during EHE in the study period (2000-2003) in the city of Barcelona. In urban areas facing similar conditions (limited use of air-conditioning, among others), residents of MUHI may be at increased mortality risk during extreme heat events.