Association between floods and acute cardiovascular diseases: a population-based cohort study using a geographic information system approach
View/ Open
Publication date
2016Author(s)
Vanasse, Alain; Cohen, Alan; Courteau, Josiane; Bergeron, Patrick; Dault, Roxanne; Gosselin, Pierre; Blais, Claudia; Bélanger, Diane; Rochette, Louis; Chebana, Fateh
Subject
Climate changeAbstract
Abstract: Background: Floods represent a serious threat to human health beyond the immediate risk
of drowning. There is few data on the potential link between floods and direct consequences on
health such as on cardiovascular health. This study aimed to explore the impact of one of the worst
floods in the history of Quebec, Canada on acute cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Methods: A cohort
study with a time series design with multiple control groups was built with the adult population
identified in the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System. A geographic information
system approach was used to define the study areas. Logistic regressions were performed to compare
the occurrence of CVD between groups. Results: The results showed a 25%–27% increase in the odds
in the flooded population in spring 2011 when compared with the population in the same area in
springs 2010 and 2012. Besides, an increase up to 69% was observed in individuals with a medical
history of CVD. Conclusion: Despite interesting results, the association was not statistically significant.
A possible explanation to this result can be that the population affected by the flood was probably too
small to provide the statistical power to answer the question, and leaves open a substantial possibility
for a real and large effect.
Collection
The following license files are associated with this document: