The 2018 Heat Wave’s Impact on the Mortality of Older People in Seoul, South Korea

ABSTRACT

Few studies on social welfare in South Korea have examined the effects of climate change, especially heat waves on vulnerable populations. The present study aims to investigate how heat waves affect vulnerable populations. This study utilized a cross-sectional study design, using the daily heat index and heat-related mortality data for Seoul, South Korea, in summer 2018. The research used micro-raw data of deaths caused by hypertensive, ischemic heart, and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as heat index data. An effect was observed for the heat index on mortality for individuals over 65 years of age, men, people with spouses, and those ages 75–79 years.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change
• heat waves
• old age
• vulnerable population
• South Korea

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Duk-im Kim for her support throughout my study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study received no external funding.