Editor’s View

摘要

Although the extent to which climate change is due to thenemission of greenhouse gases is still contentious, global temperaturesnare predicted to rise by 2–4°C over the next 50nyears. The Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagennin December highlighted the devastating impact of such annincrease on sea levels, access to fresh water and food production.nIt is also likely to have a major impact on the healthnof older people in the developed and developing world. Anpaper in this issue examined the relationship between maximumndaily temperature and mortality in 95,808 nursingnhome residents in Germany between 2001 and 2005n(pp. 245–252). The authors report that mortality was lowestnat maximum temperatures between 16 and 25.9°C, butnthe risk increased by 26% at temperatures between 32.0nand 33.9°C and by 62% at higher temperatures. Duringnthe 2-week heat wave in 2003, there was a marked increasenin mortality, particularly in residents aged ≥90 years and innthose with higher care needs. Health care professionalsnneed to be aware of the impact of heat waves on thenhealth of older people, but especially those living in nursingnand residential homes.