Heatwaves and mortality in Queensland 2010-2019: implications for a homogenous state-wide approach.

Heatwaves are a significant cause of adverse health outcomes and mortality in Australia, worsening with climate change. In Queensland, the northeastern-most state, little is known about the impact of heatwaves outside of the capital city of Brisbane. This study aims to explore the impact of heatwaves on mortality across various demographic and environmental conditions within Queensland from 2010 to 2019. The Excess Heat Factor was used to indicate heatwave periods at the Statistical Area 2 (SA2) level. Registered deaths data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and heatwave data from the Bureau of Meteorology were matched using a case-crossover approach. Relative risk and 95% confidence intervals were calculated across years, regions, age, sex, rurality, socioeconomic status, and cause of death. Heatwaves were associated with a 5% increase in all-cause mortality compared to deaths on non-heatwave days, with variability across the state. The risk of death on a heatwave day versus a non-heatwave day varied by heatwave severity. Individuals living in urban centers, the elderly, and those living in regions of lower socioeconomic status were most impacted by heatwave mortality. The relative risk of dying from neoplasms, nervous system conditions, respiratory conditions, and mental and behavioral conditions increased during heatwaves. As heatwaves increase in Queensland due to climate change, understanding the impact of heatwaves on mortality across Queensland is important to tailor public health messages. There is considerable variability across communities, demographic groups, and medical conditions, and as such messages need to be tailored to risk.

Travel-weary to travel-worry: the epidemiology of injury-related traveller deaths in Australia, 2006-2017.

OBJECTIVE: To explore injury deaths in international and domestic interstate travellers, together with those newly arrived to Australia. METHODS: A population-based cohort study of all injury-related deaths between 1January 2006 and 31 December 2017 registered with Births Death and Marriages in Australia was conducted using Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) Cause of Death information. Population data on travellers were obtained from Tourism Research Australia. RESULTS: There were 4,503 injury-related traveller deaths (domestic interstate:3,055; international:934; new arrivals:514). The average annual age-standardised mortality rates in domestic interstate travellers was 0.75 per 100,000, compared with 2.22 per 100,000 in international travellers. Leading causes of injury-related death were land transport incidents (n=1495, 33.2%), self-harm (n=786, 17.5%) and falls (n=513, 11.4%), with differences in mechanism by state/territory, traveller type and age group. Intentional self-harm was common amongst all visitor types, however, it was the primary cause of death in new arrivals Conclusion: Age-standardised mortality rates were almost three-fold higher in international than domestic travellers. New arrivals, international and domestic travellers have different injury profiles, and each require specific prevention strategies. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: While COVID has restricted travel to and within Australia, this has provided an opportunity for exploration, reflection, and consideration of risk factors for travellers, and to develop targeted injury prevention strategies for visitor types, so travel experience can be optimised and the magnitude of harm can be reduced.