Perspectives on biometeorological research on the African continent

Fitchett, Jennifer M.

doi:10.1007/s00484-020-02020-w

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 159 publications

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“…The 180 papers were manually coded, extracting and recording details on the diseases that were examined, in which country, with which meteorological variables, and in which year, to establish any spatial, thematic, and temporal trends in health biometeorology publications in the journal. The results of these findings have been displayed in tables, maps, and graphs, similar to those of Sheridan and Allen ( 2017 ) and Fitchett ( 2021 ). Additionally, a bibliometric network visualization was produced using VOSviewer, through the manual compilation of the same list of 180 papers.…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 75%

“…Studies conducted in Africa compromise 4.1% ( n = 180) of all papers in the journal in total. However, whilst this fits proportionately with the journal figures (Fitchett 2021 ), it is surprising given the heightened disease load in Africa, particularly to climate-sensitive conditions such as malaria, Ebola, and yellow fever (Sen Roy 2018 ; de Villiers 2021 ).…”

Section: Geographical Distribution Of the Research Regionsmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…This may help to explain why so little research is produced; Africa only contributes 2% (Schemm 2013 ) to global research output and 1.3% to worldwide publications (Uthman et al 2015 ). Whilst this can be facilitated through regional conferences, special issues, and collaborative research (WHO 2018 ; Fitchett 2021 ), this will also need greater focus in funding for research in these regions.…”

Section: Key Research Directions In Biometeorology Of Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The history and the development of the International Society of Biometeorology are well documented in the International Journal of Biometeorology (Tromp 1957 ; International Society of Biometeorology 1975, 1981; Keatley 2017 ). Since its inception, the International Journal of Biometeorology has not only been true to its international scope, but also to the variety of studies it has published that span across various fields of research (Sheridan and Allen 2017 ; Fitchett 2021 ). The role of climate on health has been known for millennia, yet the deliberate study of the aetiology and statistical analysis have been more recent, and a key component of biometeorology, since the inception of the society and the first issue of the journal (Tromp 1956 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate and human health: a review of publication trends in the International Journal of Biometeorology

Motlogeloa

Fitchett

2023

Int J Biometeorol

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The climate-health nexus is well documented in the field of biometeorology. Since its inception, Biometeorology has in many ways become the umbrella under which much of this collaborative research has been conducted. Whilst a range of review papers have considered the development of biometeorological research and its coverage in this journal, and a few have reviewed the literature on specific diseases, none have focused on the sub-field of climate and health as a whole. Since its first issue in 1957, the International Journal of Biometeorology has published a total of 2183 papers that broadly consider human health and its relationship with climate. In this review, we identify a total of 180 (8.3%, n = 2183) of these papers that specifically focus on the intersection between meteorological variables and specific, named diagnosable diseases, and explore the publication trends thereof. The number of publications on climate and health in the journal increases considerably since 2011. The largest number of publications on the topic was in 2017 (18) followed by 2021 (17). Of the 180 studies conducted, respiratory diseases accounted for 37.2% of the publications, cardiovascular disease 17%, and cerebrovascular disease 11.1%. The literature on climate and health in the journal is dominated by studies from the global North, with a particular focus on Asia and Europe. Only 2.2% and 8.3% of these studies explore empirical evidence from the African continent and South America respectively. These findings highlight the importance of continued research on climate and human health, especially in low- and lower-middle-income countries, the populations of which are more vulnerable to climate-sensitive illnesses.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Geographical Distribution Of the Research Regionsmentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Key Research Directions In Biometeorology Of Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Climate and human health: a review of publication trends in the International Journal of Biometeorology

Motlogeloa

Fitchett

2023

Int J Biometeorol

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“…In comparing thermal climatologies across regions, it is important to recognize the socioeconomic differences between regions, such as Europe, for which the UTCI has been extensively applied, and developing countries such as those in southern Africa (Fitchett, 2021). Critically, these differ both in terms of infrastructural adaptation to ambient natural thermal conditions, and in the amount of time that the populace spends outdoors and in occupations that require physical exertion (Szer and Szer, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal characteristics of human thermal comfort across southern Africa: An analysis of the Universal Thermal Climate Index for 1971–2021

Roffe

Walt

Fitchett

2023

Intl Journal of Climatology

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The 6th Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects increasing thermal-associated morbidity and mortality under anthropogenically induced warming. Over 100 indices exist to quantify thermal stress, and among these, the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was developed for regional investigations of thermal stress influences on human health. Although by definition a universal index, current applications are mainly limited to Europe. For regions such as Africa, use of the UTCI has been hampered by a lack of available requisite input variables from ground-based meteorological stations. To overcome this, a gridded dataset, derived from ERA5 reanalysis, of UTCI equivalent temperatures was developed by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Using this dataset for daily average, minimum and maximum UTCI values, we explore spatiotemporal patterns and changes thereof over annual, seasonal, and monthly scales across southern Africa from 1979 to 2021. Across these scales, 9 of 10 UTCI thermal stress categories were observed, ranging from very strong cold stress to extreme heat stress. Spatially, no thermal stress was most widespread for daily mean values, whereas for daily maximum (minimum) values there was a wider heat (cold) stress incidence, with frequent occurrences of moderate and strong heat stress (slight and moderate cold stress). Interannually, a clear El Niño-Southern Oscillation influence on thermal stress was evident during summer, with El Niño (La Niña) phases extending (reducing) heat stress incidences by up to 13.8% (2.9%). Over the study period, heat stress increased at statistically significant rates in many instances, with the strongest, most widespread increases, for the daily average and maximum (minimum), during spring (summer), averaging 0.28 and 0.29 CÁdecade −1 (0.23 CÁdecade −1 ); few regions experienced statistically significant decreasing trends. Overall, the trend results highlight regions vulnerable to significant thermal climate changes, and thus should be considered in decision-making regarding outdoor activities.

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Climate Change Threats to Urban Tourism in South Africa

Fitchett

2021

Urban Tourism in the Global South

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Perspectives on biometeorological research on the African continent

Cited by 8 publications

References 159 publications

Climate and human health: a review of publication trends in the International Journal of Biometeorology

Climate and human health: a review of publication trends in the International Journal of Biometeorology

Spatiotemporal characteristics of human thermal comfort across southern Africa: An analysis of the Universal Thermal Climate Index for 1971–2021

Climate Change Threats to Urban Tourism in South Africa

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