The connections between meteorological conditions and the health status of the population of Suceava municipality. A case study on respiratory afflictions throughout the years 2019-2020 in Suceava

Abstract

Background: The present study addresses the real necessity of covering the gaps related to the actual understanding of the relationships established between weather patterns and the health status of the population. The urban area of Suceava is representative of medium-sized cities in Romania. Methods: Respiratory pathologies manifest with a temporal offset when compared to intervals with severe weather conditions. The consultation program is one that does not take into account the severity of weather conditions. Through statistical and graphical correlations, strong direct or inverse proportional relationships were identified between meteorological elements, the multitude of meteorological elements represented by bioclimatic indices, and the number of consultations provided to patients with respiratory afflictions. Results: In the winter season when t°C, THI, and TPr have minimum values and Pr has maximum values, the number of consultations for respiratory conditions is at an all-time high. The value of the coefficient of determination R2 between the monthly values of t°C and THI, respectively, the number of consultations for respiratory conditions exceeds the threshold of 0.7, and between the monthly values of Pr and the number of consultations for respiratory afflictions was 0.66. On days when t°C was ≤ 0°C, the average number of consultations for respiratory conditions was 6.1, decreasing to 3 on days when t°C was > 23°C. Conclusions: Respiratory diseases have the most favorable temporal framework for occurrence in the months of the cold season. In winter in Suceava, respiratory conditions affect twice as many people as in summer. Keywords: respiratory afflictions, meteorological elements, bioclimatic indices THI, Pr, and TPr