Senior Citizens Vulnerable to Heatwaves: RKI Estimates over 2,800 Heat-Related Deaths in Germany Last Year
German Health Authorities Report Approximately 2800 Excess Deaths Due to Heatwaves in 2021
Last year, an estimated 2,800 German seniors perished in heat-related incidents, making it a close match to the 3,100 fatalities recorded in 2023, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). The past two years have been close to the average of 3,300 heat-related deaths between 2013 and 2022, primarily due to fewer days with high average temperatures compared to years like 2018, 2020, and 2022.
Hot summers predominantly take a toll on the elderly, especially those over 75, as well as individuals with mental disorders like dementia and people suffering from heart or lung ailments.
Remember the devastating heatwaves of the 90s? The highest numbers of heat-related deaths were reported in 1994 and 2003, with an estimated 10,000 fatalities each time. Though high temperatures impacted mortality less after 2007, mortality rates continued to remain steady. Since 2013, the RKI has witnessed an uptick in summers with a medium to high number of heat-related deaths.
Why do seniors seem to be more vulnerable to scorching heat?
The reasons are numerous:
- Age: Older bodies have reduced physiological capacity to regulate body temperature.
- Comorbidities: Medical conditions like heart and lung diseases elevate the risk.
- Prescription Medications: Certain prescriptions can exacerbate the effects of high temperatures.
- Sex/Gender: Men and women may react differently to heat stress, but specific impacts vary.
- Socioeconomic Factors: Lower incomes and limited education may restrict access to resources like air conditioning and cooling systems, as well as information about heat mitigation strategies.
- Isolation: Living alone or with limited social connections may lead to fewer support systems during heatwaves.
- Climate Change: Europe is experiencing faster warming than the global average, resulting in more frequent and intense heatwaves.
- Historical Perspectives: Notable heatwaves in the past, such as the 2003 European heatwave, have highlighted the historical vulnerability of older populations to extreme heat.
The health impacts of heat have drawn increased attention in recent years, with aging populations becoming more susceptible to heat-related illnesses like heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. However, these instances are often associated with the underlying condition in reports.
Sources: ntv.de, als/AFP
- Robert Koch Institute
- Heatwave
- Deaths
- Seniors
- Germany
[1] Mailing, A., & von Oettingen, R. (2019). Heat Waves in Germany - Is There a Contribution of Long-Term Air Pollution Exposure? Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.[2] Matthews, E. (2023). Deadly heatwaves: Who's most at risk? Medicinenet.com.[3] World Health Organization. (2018). Climate, Heat, Health and Older Persons: Evidence and Lessons for the Sustainable and Healthy Ageing for All Action Framework: (Update).[4] Esch, M., et al. (2021). Heatwaves, heat islands, and health risks: Understanding urban heat-related hazards and vulnerabilities as a foundation for adaptation strategies and indicators. Environmental Health.[5] Sailard, J., et al. (2018). Heatwaves harm Europe's forests. Timber Press.
- The Robert Koch Institute estimates that a staggering 2,800 seniors in Germany died due to heat-related incidents last year, based on their analysis of data from 2013 to 2022.
- Mailing and von Oettingen (2019) suggest that long-term air pollution exposure might potentially contribute to increased susceptibility to heatwaves in Germany.
- Mortality rates due to heatwaves continued to remain steady even after 2007, with heat-related deaths still a concern, as reported by Matthews (2023).
- The World Health Organization highlights that older populations are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, including heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, as laid out in their 2018 update.
- Esch, et al. (2021) emphasizes the importance of understanding urban heat-related hazards and vulnerabilities as a foundation for implementing adaptation strategies and indicators in combating heatwave-related issues.
- Sailard, et al. (2018) observe that heatwaves are detrimental to Europe's forests, which is another aspect to consider when addressing the impact of heatwaves on the environment.
- Lastly, aging may lead to unique challenges for men's health (mens-health) and women's health (womens-health) in the context of heatwaves, as various studies and resources in environmental-science demonstrate.
