Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Connecting the Dots of Climate Change and Health
Background Information:
Climate change is occurring throughout the world. Right here in Minnesota, climate change will
likely cause average temperatures to increase. Therefore, scientists predict milder winters and
hotter summers. Specifically, the number of extreme heat events during the summer will likely
increase. An extreme heat event is a period of abnormally and uncomfortably hot and humid
weather that lasts two or more days. Note that what is considered hot depends on the area. For
example, what would be hot for Minnesotans would not be considered hot for those in Arizona.
Another term for an extreme heat event is a heat wave.
During a heat wave, high temperatures and high humidity can lead to several human health
problems. For example, heat waves in Minnesota may lead to an increase in heat-related
illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. A person with heat exhaustion has one or
more of the following symptoms:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Heavy sweating
Weakness
Rapid breathing
Dizziness
Nausea
Muscle cramps
Headaches
Heat stroke is more severe than heat exhaustion. It usually occurs when the internal body
temperature rises above 104°F. Heat stroke can be life-threatening if left untreated.
Heat waves can also make asthma worse. Asthma is a disease that affects people’s lungs and
makes it difficult to breath. Air pollution, allergens, heavy exercise, and certain weather
conditions can trigger an asthma attack. Heat waves are especially likely to make asthma worse
for three reasons:
Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Climate & Health Program
PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164
1. The intense heat makes the body work harder to cool itself down,
especially in young children and older adults. (You need to sweat more!)
1
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
2. The high humidity makes it difficult for the body to cool itself since sweat does not
evaporate off of the skin as easily. (Hence the “sticky” feeling when it’s humid out.)
3. High temperatures also increase ozone levels in the air. Ozone is a gas made up of three
atoms of oxygen bonded together. Ozone high in the atmosphere protects the Earth from
harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. However, close to earth, ozone is a pollutant
created from other pollutants that react with each other. During a heat wave, high
temperatures increase the amount of ozone close to earth. This increase in ozone levels
can make asthma worse.
As you can see, climate change begins a chain of events similar to the way dominos fall in a line.
Take a look at the flow chart below to see a summary of how climate change in Minnesota can
affect heat-related illnesses.
Figure 1. How climate change in Minnesota can affect heat-related illnesses
In this lab, you will analyze several maps and graphs related to asthma and heat-related illnesses
in Minnesota. While you are looking at the data, keep in mind the effect that climate change
might have on these results.
Questions that need a written response are in RED.
2
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Pre-Lab Exercise -- Map of Extreme Heat Events:
We will first look at a map that shows the history of extreme heat events in Minnesota from 1995
– 2012.
Refer to the map on the next page to answer the following questions:
1. What county do you live in?
2. Locate your county on the map and circle it. How many extreme heat events were
counted between 1995 and 2012?
3. Describe any patterns you see on the map. Write down two reasons why these patterns
might exist. Hint: one concept that may be helpful in answering this question is the
urban heat island effect. Go to the following website to learn more:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/urban-heat-island/?ar_a=1
3
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Figure 2. Number of Extreme Heat Events in Minnesota by County from 1995 to 2012
Data Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), 2013.
4
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Computer Lab Part A: Asthma
1. Copy and paste the link below into a web browser:
https://apps.health.state.mn.us/mndata
This link will bring you to a website called: Minnesota Public Health Data Access. Here,
you will be able to find information and data about the health of Minnesotans. Today, we will
focus on two health issues: asthma and heat-related illness.
2. Under the Topics A to Z tab, click on Asthma.
3. Click on Map the Data at the top of the page. A box will come up that will give you
information about asthma hospitalizations in Minnesota. You do not need to read this.
Simply click Next and then Done.
4. Look at the map on the left. As the title states, this is a map of the rate of asthma
hospitalizations broken down by county from 2009 to 2011. Notice how different shades
of GREEN represent different rates of hospitalizations. Remember that a rate compares two
numbers (such as 15 miles per hour or $3.50 per 1 gallon of gas). In this case, the rate
describes the number of asthma hospitalizations per 10,000 people.
5. Note that the legend says: “age-adjusted rates per 10,000”. “Per 10,000” means for example,
in Ramsey County, there were 9.0 asthma hospitalizations per 10,000 people in Ramsey
County. In other words, nine people out of every 10,000 people were hospitalized because of
asthma in Ramsey County.
6. Place the curser over the county where you live. How many people were hospitalized
because of asthma in your county? Hint: this is also called the “count”.
__________
7. What is the rate of asthma hospitalizations for your county? Hint: this is also called the
“age-adjusted rate”.
__________ per 10,000
8. Many times, scientists refer to a rate as an “age adjusted rate”. When a rate is age-adjusted,
this means age no longer affects the data. For example, some counties have more 65-yearolds while other counties have more 20-year-olds. Since asthma affects people who are 65
5
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
differently than people who are 20, we carry out additional math equations to adjust the data
so that age is no longer a factor.
9. Compare and contrast the rate of asthma hospitalizations in your county to the other
Minnesota counties. Is the rate in your county generally higher, lower, or the same as
other counties? Why do you think that is?
10. It is important to look at the rate of asthma hospitalizations in Minnesota as a whole.
What is the overall rate for asthma hospitalizations in Minnesota? Hint: Look at the
table on the right.
_________per 100,000
11. Is the rate for your county higher, lower, or the same as the overall rate for Minnesota?
12. Climate change can make asthma much worse. If Minnesota’s climate becomes warmer
over time, what do you think will happen to the rate of asthma hospitalizations in
Minnesota? Explain.
Computer Lab Part B: Heat-Related Illness
13. We will now investigate heat waves in Minnesota. Return to the Minnesota Public Health
Data Access homepage by clicking on Home & Topics in the upper left corner.
14. Under the Topics A to Z tab, scroll down and click on Heat-Related Illness.
15. At the top of the page, click on Facts & Figures.
6
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
16. Click on the first link titled Heat-related illness hospitalizations.
17. Scroll down until you see the first graph titled Heat-related illness hospitalizations and
temperatures by year in Minnesota.
18. Take some time to study the graph. Notice that there are two trend lines. The ORANGE line
represents the average summer temperature, and it corresponds to the LEFT Y axis. The
PURPLE line represents the rate of hospitalizations due to heat-related illness, and it
corresponds to the RIGHT Y axis.
Similar to the map of the asthma hospitalizations from above, scientists used an age-adjusted
rate. Also, note that the scientists used “per 100,000” instead of “per 10,000” like before.
For example, a rate of 3.41 per 100,000 means that 3.41 people out of every 100,000 people
were hospitalized because of heat-related illnesses.
19. What is the age-adjusted rate of heat-related illnesses for the year 2011? Hint: place
your cursor on the data point you are interested in and the rate number will pop up!
_________per 100,000
20. Compare and contrast the orange and purple trend lines. What pattern(s) do you see?
21. On the same webpage, scroll down further until you reach a graph titled Heat-related illness
hospitalizations by age and sex in Minnesota.
22. What kind of graph is shown here?
23. This time, scientists calculated an age-specific rate. This means that the overall rates that you
saw in the graph from Steps 15 to 19 were broken down in two ways: first by AGE and then
broken down further by GENDER.
7
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
For example, the age-specific rate for heat-related illness hospitalizations for females, ages
65+, was 3.1 per 100,000. This means that for every 100,000 females 65 years and older, 3.1
of them were hospitalized due to a heat-related illness.
You may be thinking: “How can there be 3.1 people instead of just 3?” Remember, scientists
used division to calculate the rates. Therefore, the rates might not be nice, even numbers like
we might want. Another way to think about 3.1 per 100,000 is to think that “a little more that
3 out of every 100,000 people were hospitalized for a heat-related illness.”
24. What is the age-specific rate for males, ages 15-34? Hint: place your curser on the bar
that you’re interested in and the rate number will pop up!
_________per 100,000
25. Let’s compare and contrast the rates for different age categories and for different
genders:
a. Which age category has the highest rate in both males and females?
Why do you think this age group has the highest rate of heat-related illness
hospitalizations?
b. Looking at all of the age groups, do males or females generally have higher
rates?
Why do you think this gender has a higher rate of heat-related hospitalizations?
8
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Post-Lab Exercise:
1. You have seen data on asthma, heat-related illness, average temperatures, and number
of extreme heat events. Write a short paragraph describing how climate change affects
asthma and heat-related illness in Minnesota.
2. What are three things you can do to keep yourself cool during the summer, especially
during a heat wave? Hint: here is a link to a tip sheet that may help you:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/emergency/natural/heat/tips.pdf
3. What are three things a person with asthma might do during a heat wave to prevent an
asthma attack?
4. How can you help others in your community stay cool and safe during a heat wave?
9
Climate Change & Health Computer Lab
Minnesota Department of Health
Climate & Health Program
[email protected]
651-201-4899
August 2014
10