Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South Korea

Abstract Heat is known to have harmful impacts on health; however, little is known about its impact on people with disabilities. We evaluate the association between heat and hospitalization through the emergency department among people with and without disabilities. We adopt a case-crossover design...

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Main Authors: Jinah Park, Ayoung Kim, Ziyad Al-Aly, Kristi L. Ebi, Ho Kim, Whanhee Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59270-8
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author Jinah Park
Ayoung Kim
Ziyad Al-Aly
Kristi L. Ebi
Ho Kim
Whanhee Lee
author_facet Jinah Park
Ayoung Kim
Ziyad Al-Aly
Kristi L. Ebi
Ho Kim
Whanhee Lee
author_sort Jinah Park
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Heat is known to have harmful impacts on health; however, little is known about its impact on people with disabilities. We evaluate the association between heat and hospitalization through the emergency department among people with and without disabilities. We adopt a case-crossover design using 16 years (2006–2021) of claims data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Database. A total of 584,743 admissions are recorded among people with disabilities. The heat risk (odds ratio) is 1.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.08–1.13) in people with disabilities. The relative heat risk between people with and without disabilities is 1.33 (95% confidence interval: 1.29–1.37). Within the population with disabilities, individuals with brain lesion disorders, intellectual and mental disabilities, or living in areas with low-middle population density exhibit higher heat risks than the total people with disabilities. Here, we show evidence of different heat risks between people with and without disabilities.
format Article
id doaj-art-87ee6f3826a74ff5ae5d699058cb7850
institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-87ee6f3826a74ff5ae5d699058cb78502025-08-20T03:52:19ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-011611910.1038/s41467-025-59270-8Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South KoreaJinah Park0Ayoung Kim1Ziyad Al-Aly2Kristi L. Ebi3Ho Kim4Whanhee Lee5Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National UniversityResearch and Development Service, VA Saint Louis Health Care SystemDepartment of Global Health, University of WashingtonDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National UniversitySchool of Biomedical Convergence Engineering, Pusan National UniversityAbstract Heat is known to have harmful impacts on health; however, little is known about its impact on people with disabilities. We evaluate the association between heat and hospitalization through the emergency department among people with and without disabilities. We adopt a case-crossover design using 16 years (2006–2021) of claims data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Database. A total of 584,743 admissions are recorded among people with disabilities. The heat risk (odds ratio) is 1.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.08–1.13) in people with disabilities. The relative heat risk between people with and without disabilities is 1.33 (95% confidence interval: 1.29–1.37). Within the population with disabilities, individuals with brain lesion disorders, intellectual and mental disabilities, or living in areas with low-middle population density exhibit higher heat risks than the total people with disabilities. Here, we show evidence of different heat risks between people with and without disabilities.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59270-8
spellingShingle Jinah Park
Ayoung Kim
Ziyad Al-Aly
Kristi L. Ebi
Ho Kim
Whanhee Lee
Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South Korea
Nature Communications
title Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South Korea
title_full Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South Korea
title_fullStr Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South Korea
title_full_unstemmed Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South Korea
title_short Heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in South Korea
title_sort heat and hospitalization risks among people with disabilities in south korea
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59270-8
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AT hokim heatandhospitalizationrisksamongpeoplewithdisabilitiesinsouthkorea
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