Epidemiological studies have indicated that natural disasters have important impacts on ischemic stroke. This study determined the associations between natural disasters and the incidence and prevalence of ischemic stroke at the global level. A 28-year ecological trend study was performed to estimate worldwide changes in the incidence and prevalence of ischemic stroke and their associations with natural disasters by analyzing data from 193 countries. Quantum geographic information system-based visualization and multivariable linear regression were used. Changes in the incidence and prevalence of ischemic stroke, as well as disaster occurrence, varied among the different regions over the past 28 years (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression revealed an independent and positive association between disaster occurrence and the incidence of ischemic stroke in males, females and both sexes combined (standardized coefficients = 0.515, 0.470 and 0.483, p < 0.001); similar associations were found for the prevalence of ischemic stroke (standardized coefficients = 0.471, 0.417 and 0.438, p < 0.001). The incidence and prevalence of ischemic stroke changed significantly at the global level and were independently associated with natural disasters. Both males and females show common but different vulnerabilities to natural disasters. This evidence supports policy making and resource allocation for disaster response and disease burden reduction.

Background: Recent studies have reported an association between natural disasters of various kinds and ischemic heart disease (IHD). We investigated the association between Disabilityadjusted life years (DALYs) due to IHD and natural disasters and aimed to assess DALYs as a quantification of the burden of IHD related to natural disasters at the global level. Methods: Country-specific data of natural disaster impacts DALYs due to IHD and socioeconomic variables were obtained from open sources over the period of 1990-2013 and 2014-2017. A population-based trend ecological design was conducted to estimate the association between trends in DALYs and natural disasters (occurrence, casualties and total damage), adjusting for socioeconomic variables. Results: Most countries have experienced increases in natural disaster occurrences and decreases in DALYs during this study period. The unadjusted correlation analysis demonstrated a positive and significant correlation between DALYs and natural disasters for females and for both sexes (R = 0.163 and 0.146, p = 0.024 and 0.043), and a marginally significant correlation for males (R = 0.128, p = 0.076). After adjusting for socioeconomic variables, multiple linear regression demonstrated independent associations between the occurrence and DALYs due to IHD for males, females and both sexes (standardized coefficients = 0.192, 0.23 and 0.187, p = 0.016, 0.004 and 0.022). Conclusions: A weak but significantly positive association between natural disaster and IHD was confirmed and quantified at the global level by this DALY metric analysis. Adaptation strategies for natural disaster responses and IHD disease burden reduction need to be developed.

Background Natural disasters are believed to be associated with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to explore the changes in mortality due to ischemic heart disease (IHD) and their associations with natural disasters at the global level. Methods Country-specific data on the impact of natural disasters, rates of mortality due to IHD and years of life lost (YLL) and socioeconomic variables were obtained for 193 countries for the period from 1990 to 2017. An ecological trend study was conducted to estimate the changes in the IHD mortality and YLL rates and their associations with natural disasters (occurrence, casualties and total damage). Correlation analyses and multivariate linear regression were used. Results Significant changes were found in the IHD mortality and YLL rates and the occurrence of disasters between the two equal periods (1990 to 2003 and 2004 to 2017) (p<0.001). The bivariate Pearson correlation test revealed that the trend in the occurrence of natural disasters was positively correlated with trends in the IHD mortality and YLL rates among females and all individuals (p<0.05) and was marginally correlated among males. Multiple linear regression revealed an independent association between the occurrence of natural disasters and the IHD mortality rate among males, females and all individuals (standardized coefficients = 0.163, 0.357 and 0.241, p<0.05), and similar associations were found for the YLL rate (standardized coefficients = 0.194, 0.233 and 0.189, p<0.05). Conclusions Our study demonstrated significant changes in the IHD mortality and YLL rates at the global level and their independent associations with natural disasters. Both males and females were vulnerable to natural disasters. These results provide evidence that can be used to support policy making and resource allocation when responding to disasters and developing strategies to reduce the burden of IHD.