Climate change will impact the distribution of daily deaths in Austria until the end of the century. This study examines the net effects of fewer cold and more-frequent hot days on daily mortality under different climate and demographic scenarios. Projected district-level mortality data and daily temperatures based on Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) are analyzed to estimate the number of attributable deaths for every fifth year due to heat and cold using district-wise temperature-effect estimates from a previous analysis. While the overall shape of the time course of temperature-attributable deaths depends mostly on the demographic developments (with the highest numbers of daily mortality mid-century), under all climate scenarios investigated, the increase in heat-attributable deaths will be more pronounced than the decrease in cold-attributable deaths. Contrary to common claims, shift in temperatures due to climate change already has a net negative effect on population health in Austria now.

Background: In May 2011 the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as a possible human carcinogen mainly based on epidemiological studies about the association between mobile phone (MP) use and brain tumors. Considering that brain tumors have long latencies of around 30 years, it is unlikely that this association is due to an 'initiating' activity of MPs since virtually all studied brain tumor cases must have had already a covertly growing tumor when they started MP use. But there could be other adverse effects exerted by a MP when acting on later stages of malignant development. We propose that MP use acts adversely by increasing tumor growth rate and model it by an impact on the latency distribution shifting the age-incidence function to younger age. Methods: We calculate (1) relative risks (RRs) for MP use in comparison to the meta-analytic RR estimate for glioma in adults; (2) RRs for neuroepithelial childhood brain tumors in comparison to the findings of the MOBIkids study; and (3) hazard ratios in comparison to the results of the Million Women Study (MWS). Results: The meta-analytical odds ratio for glioma and long-term MP use in adults of 1.22 (95% confidence-interval: 1.02-1.46) could be explained by a shift in the age-incidence function by 32% of MP usage duration. Applying a 20% shift for childhood neuroepithelial brain tumors reproduced the ORs that were predominantly less than 1 in the MOBIkids study. For glioma risk in perimenopausal women in relation to long-term MP use in the MWS we found hazard-ratios close to 1 applying a 32% shift in the age-incidence function. Conclusions: The standard interpretation of relative risk estimates must be revised if exposure to the agent commenced after the malignant development has already started. All reported RR estimates of MP use can be reproduced by positing MP use increased tumor growth rate. However, since these results are obtained applying a modeling approach, further tests using epidemiological methods, which will be difficult or hardly feasible, or utilizing more promising laboratory methods are needed.

Vulnerability to heat and cold is influenced by many characteristics. This study analyzed determinants of vulnerability at the district level in the whole of Austria. Daily deaths (1970-2020) and daily temperatures per district were entered into time series models using negative binomial General Additive Models controlling for long-term and seasonal trends and for the day of the week. District-wise effect estimates of 111 districts in total were entered into linear meta-regression models seeking determinants of inter-district variation in heat and cold vulnerability. Generally, temperature effects on the daily number of deaths were highly significant in all districts, with higher death rates occurring when the same-day temperature exceeded a clear threshold and higher death rates with declining temperature averaged over the previous 14 days, in that case not showing any clear threshold effect. A higher heat vulnerability was observed for more densely populated areas, especially for the city of Vienna, for districts with a higher percentage of singles, of homeless people, of unemployed, and of migrants. Surprisingly, a higher percentage of outdoor workers seemed to be protective. Higher cold vulnerability was found for an increasingly autochthonous population, for districts with a higher employment rate, with more commuters, more agricultural workers, and more green spaces.

Abstract:Anthropogenic climate change presents significant health challenges for older people with care needs across all care settings, from private homes and supported living arrangements to institutional care facilities. Those particularly at risk include individuals with limited mobility, multimorbidity, or social isolation. Care and support systems therefore need to implement measures for both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation encompasses reducing energy and water consumption, minimising waste, decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, managing chemicals, and strengthening political and regulatory cooperation. Adaptation involves capacity building, technological innovation, financial management, education and research, monitoring and evaluation, as well as institutional and social support. The effectiveness of structural, organisational, and social measures, such as thermally resilient buildings, efficient ventilation and cooling systems, emergency power supply, secure water and waste infrastructure, hygiene standards, and community-based support services, is well documented. Good practice examples, including community-based support in home settings, structural and technical modernisation in care facilities, and strategic instruments in procurement and governance, demonstrate that climate-resilient strategies enhance care security, support the prevention of care dependency, improve the quality of life of older people, and simultaneously achieve ecological and economic objectives. Climate mitigation and adaptation are integral components of future-oriented, needs-based care, positioning care facilities and community structures as key levers for sustainable transformation.

Abstract:Changes in everyday life have great potential to promote a long and healthy life. At the same time, these changes are also climate-friendly in many areas, as they either reduce emissions or increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. This article provides an overview of everyday life changes in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and housing. It describes the current lifestyles of older adults in Austria based on statistics on health, time use, mobility and nutrition, as well as consumer surveys. However, lifestyle changes are not presented solely as a matter of individual behavior; the article also highlights the critical role of structural aspects such as infrastructure and public access, supply and price structures. We focus on the impact chains, which, based on the scientific literature, illustrate the pathways through which changes in everyday life have a beneficial effect on health and climate protection or for resilience. Abstract:Finally, a secondary effect becomes relevant: A more health-promoting everyday life reduces the number of years spent in ill-health, thereby lowering the demand for medical treatment. This benefits both health and the climate, as hospital stays can strain mental health and carry the risk of secondary diseases. Further, as medical care is carbon-intensive, avoiding hospitalizations reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Abstract:The intensifying impact of climate change increasingly requires a transition in key areas such as mobility, leisure, housing and nutrition. This transition offers an opportunity to make climate-friendly and healthy everyday life the new attractive norm. Health benefits can serve as a compelling argument for climate mitigation, which in turn can act as a lever for creating healthy living conditions in times of inevitable change. As global warming increases, so do the climate risks to human health, and the risk of crop failures, water shortages and damage to settlements and infrastructure. Yet a decisive transition has the potential to promote a good and healthy aging for all.

Aim of this study was to find out if demographic factors (age and body weight) have an impact on the sensitivity of peripheral lymphocytes towards DNA damage caused by extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF), to which humans are exposed worldwide. Cells from three different groups (young normal-weight, young obese, and old normal-weight individuals) were treated with different intensities of ELF-EMF (50 Hz, 50, 200 and 1000 µT) in combination with genotoxic agents, which cause damage to the genetic material via different molecular mechanisms. BPDE (benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide) is a metabolite of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P); 4-nitroquinoline oxide (4NQO) is a UV-mimetic agent; the metal compounds NiCl2 and CrO3 induce cross-links and oxidative damage. The cells were treated with radiation in combination with the different chemicals (simultaneous and sequential exposure), subsequently, DNA damage was monitored using single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) experiments. We found no evidence for induction of genetic damage by the radiation in cells from the different groups. However, a decrease of damage was observed in combined experiments with NiCl2, and an increase of DNA migration was detected in some experiments with BPDE. These findings indicate that ELF-EMF does not cause DNA damage in lymphocytes regardless of the age and body weight of the donors. Furthermore, our results show that the radiation has an impact on the extent of DNA damage caused by specific environmentally and occupationally relevant exposures and may increase the genotoxic effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Epidemiological studies indicate that electromagnetic fields (EMF) are associated with cancer in humans. Exposure to mobile phone specific high frequency fields (HF-EMF) may lead to increased glioma risks, while low frequency radiation (LF-EMF) is associated with childhood leukemia. We studied the impact of HF-EMF (1950 MHz, UMTS signal) on DNA stability in an astrocytoma cell line (1321N1), and the effect of LF-EMF (50 Hz) in human derived lymphoma (Jurkat) cells. To find out if these fields affect chemically induced DNA damage, coexposure experiments were performed. The cells were exposed to HF-EMF or LF-EMF and treated simultaneously and sequentially with mutagens. The compounds cause DNA damage via different molecular mechanisms, i.e. pyrimidine dimers which are characteristic for UV light (4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, 4NQO), bulky base adducts (benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide, BPDE), DNA-DNA and DNA-protein cross links and oxidative damage (NiCl2, CrO3). DNA damage was measured in single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assays. We found a moderate reduction of basal and 4NQO-induced DNA damage in the astrocytoma line, but no significant alterations of chemically induced DNA migration by the HF and LF fields under all other experimental series. The biological consequences of the moderate reduction remain unclear, but our findings indicate that acute mobile phone and power line specific EMF exposures do not enhance genotoxic effects caused by occupationally relevant chemical exposures.

Tropospheric ozone is an air pollutant that poses a public health problem in Europe. Climate change could increase the formation of ozone. Applying past and predicted annual total (all-cause) mortality data and modeled daily ozone concentrations, we performed a nationwide health impact assessment estimating annual ozone-related (attributable) deaths in Austria. Different approaches were compared. Estimates were based on maximal 1-h averages of ozone. Until the decade from 2045 till 2055, more people will die in Austria because of the demographic trends. Therefore, more deaths will also be attributable to ozone. Higher greenhouse gas emission scenarios (e.g. Representative Concentration Pathway RCP8.5 compared to RCP2.6) will lead to more ozone-related deaths, mostly due to the national emission of ozone precursors (a difference of 250-340 cases per year, depending on the model), but to a lesser extent because of global climate change. Increases in attributable deaths will be affected mostly by national, not global mitigation measures. National emission reduction will certainly have a strong and beneficial effect on local atmospheric chemistry, air quality, and public health.

Micro- and nanoplastics are omnipresent not only in the environment, but have also been detected in human body fluids and tissue. The subsequent commentary provides a perspective about potential risks for human health as well as resulting challenges for medical science.

Abstract The Alpine region in Central Europe and its populations in principle face the same types of threats to their health due to climate change as those in other parts of the world. But special geographical and climatic aspects of that region warrant closer and special examination of the connections between health and climate change in the Alps. These include small-scale variation, in some instances steep mountain slopes, and, above all, a larger-than-average increase in near-surface temperatures. To that end, there are main pathways between climate change and health: “Direct effects” describe rather short-term health effects of extreme weather events. Such events have occurred in the past, and therefore ample epidemiological evidence is available for the assessment of their impact. With climate change, such extreme events are predicted to change in frequency and intensity. “Indirect effects” refer to a more complex pathway where long-term changes of various natural and anthropogenic systems in reaction or adaptation to climate change exert adverse or sometimes also beneficial impacts on health. Such systems include ecosystems in which, for example, the prevalence of disease vectors or the allergenicity of pollen will change. But agriculture and forestry or the built environment are also affected by climate change and in turn affect the health of people. “Distant effects” are also rather indirect in nature. But in this pathway, changes due to climate change in other parts of the world affect the health in the Alpine region. Increasing migration into the Alpine region and changing migration patterns are important examples of this pathway. In some instances, most importantly regarding mental health, there is still a need for more studies focusing on the Alpine environments. But apart from these especially understudied topics, as the climate crisis evolves, there is generally a need for continuous research on the health effects of climate change and the potential of health promotion to create co-benefits.

Climate change is a threat to health and social security of billions of people. Health and quality of life are increasingly affected in many ways due to the climate crisis. Rising global temperatures are resulting in increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events, contributing to further increase in inequality, discrimination, and injustice overall and in health care specifically. Furthermore, climatic conditions are also becoming increasingly suitable for the transmission of infectious diseases and their spread into new regions. Socio-economically disadvantaged regions with weak health infrastructure (e.g. Global South) will be hardly able to cope without specific support. The overriding imperative is to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from transport, energy and food production at global, national and regional levels to mitigate negative health impacts. The 2015 Paris Agreement must also be seen as crucial health agreement. Our paper aims to highlight ethical aspects of climate change in the health sector.

To reduce the high amount of Greenhouse Gas emissions, a more sustainable individual lifestyle is crucial. However, existing research regarding pro-environmental behaviors rarely focuses on a reduction in consumption. Hence, this study investigated different variables (e.g., habits, estimated efficacy of measures, estimated danger of climate change) that might enhance people’s willingness to cut back on several private consumptions for the sake of the environment. In a German-speaking online survey (n = 435), different areas of consumption were looked at separately in different regression models. Additionally, we investigated whether a randomized highlighting of climate change consequences could further increase willingness to implement private cut-backs, which could not be confirmed in subsequent variance analyses. Overall, some variables seem to be connected with a higher willingness to implement cut-backs in most consumption areas and on several levels (e.g., estimated efficacy); other predictors are only involved in specific cut-backs and specific levels (e.g., materialism). Furthermore, different variables seem to be of importance when it comes to already implemented consumption restrictions as opposed to willingness to implement further cut-backs. These results lead to the conclusion that, in order to maximize mitigation potential, it is important to tailor suggestions to the area of consumption. Additionally, for most areas, awareness of the mitigation efficacy of the respective behavior seems crucial.

The aim of this study was to investigate if age and body mass of humans have an impact on the DNA-damaging properties of high-frequency mobile phone-specific electromagnetic fields (HF-EMF, 1950 MHz, universal mobile telecommunications system, UMTS signal) and if this form of radiation has an impact on the genotoxic effects of occupationally relevant exposures. Pooled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from three groups [young normal weight, young obese (YO), and older age normal weight individuals] were exposed to different doses of HF-EMF (0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 W/kg specific absorption rate—SAR) and simultaneously or sequentially to different chemicals which cause DNA damage (CrO3, NiCl2, benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide—BPDE, and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide—4NQO) via different molecular mechanisms. We found no difference in regard to the background values in the three groups but a significant increase of DNA damage (81% without and 36% with serum) in cells from old participants after radiation with 1.0 W/kg SAR 16 h. In combined treatment experiments we found no impact of the UMTS signal on chemically induced DNA damage in the different groups in general. However, a moderate decrease of DNA damage was seen in simultaneous treatment experiments with BPDE and 1.0 W/kg SAR in the YO group (decline 18%). Taken together our findings indicate that HF-EMF cause DNA damage in PBMC from older subjects (69.1 years). Furthermore, they show that the radiation does not increase induction of DNA damage by occupationally relevant chemicals.

To better understand the influence of land use and meteorological parameters on air pollutants, we deployed passive air samplers in 15 regions with different land use in eastern Austria. The samplers consisted of polyurethane PUF and polyester PEF filter matrices, which were analyzed for 566 substances by gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. In a previous article, we highlighted a widespread contamination of ambient air with pesticides that depends on the surrounding land use and meteorological parameters. Here we report that, in addition to agricultural pesticides, eight other substances were frequently detected in ambient air: Nitrapyrin, a nitrification inhibitor used to increase nitrogen use efficiency of fertilizers and banned in Austria since 1993; biocides against insects (DEET and transfluthrin) used mainly outside agriculture; piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a synergist mixed into pesticide formulations; and four industrially used polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), long banned worldwide. Concentrations of the detected substances were positively related to air temperature, but only slightly related to agricultural land use in the sampler's vicinity. The city center showed the highest concentrations of biocides, PCBs and PBO, but also medium concentrations of nitrapyrin. Four sites had no air contamination with these substances; including two national parks dominated by grassland or forest, but also two sites with mixed land use. The potential human toxicity of the detected substances based on globally harmonized hazard classifications was high: seven substances had specific organ toxicity, six were cancerogenic, and two were acutely toxic; however, several substances had incomplete information of hazard profiles. Moreover, all substances were acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic life. We recommend that substances of different origins be included in the air pollution monitoring portfolio to comprehensively assess the potential hazards to humans and the environment.

Background and aim. The possibility that wireless (mobile and cordless) phone use might increase brain tumour (BT) risk, has long been a concern, particularly in young people. We studied the association between wireless phone use and subsquently radiofrequency (RF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure) in childhood/adolescence with BT risk. Methods. MOBI-Kids, a 14-country case-control study, recruited 899 BT cases and 1910 hospital controls aged 10-24 years. Each participant answered a questionnaire on history of mobile communication devices use. Analyses were conducted both in relation to the history of use of wireless phones and to estimated RF and ELF dose from use of wireless phones (based on algorithms developed in the project), adjusting for parental education. Numerous substudies and sensitivity analyses were conducted to address potential biases. Results. Mean ages of cases and controls were 16.5 and 16.6 years, respectively. The vast majority of participants were wireless phones users, with substantial numbers of long-term (>10 years) users. Most tumours were neuroepithelial (NBT; n=671). The adjusted odds ratios (OR) of NBT appeared to decrease with increasing time since start of use of wireless phones, cumulative number of calls and cumulative call time, particularly in the 15-19 years old age group. A decreasing trend in ORs was also observed with increasing estimated cumulative RF specific energy and ELF induced current density. These decreasing trends are attributable mainly to differential recall by proxies and prodromal symptoms affecting phone use before case diagnosis. Results remain unchanged despite the large number of sensitivity analyses we conducted. Conclusions. Our study provides no evidence of a causal association between wireless phone use and brain tumours in young people. However, possible residual biases prevent us from ruling out a small increased risk. Keyworks: brain tumours, young people, wireless phones

Little is known about (i) how numbers and concentrations of airborne pesticide residues are influenced by land use, interactions with meteorological parameters, or by substance-specific chemo-physical properties, and (ii) what potential toxicological hazards this could pose to non-target organisms including humans. We installed passive air samplers (polyurethane PUF and polyester PEF filter matrices) in 15 regions with different land uses in eastern Austria for up to 8 months. Samples were analyzed for 566 substances by gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. We analyzed relationships between frequency and concentrations of pesticides, land use, meteorological parameters, substance properties, and season. We found totally 67 pesticide active ingredients (24 herbicides, 30 fungicides, 13 insecticides) with 10–53 pesticides per site. Herbicides metolachlor, pendimethalin, prosulfocarb, terbuthylazine, and the fungicide HCB were found in all PUF samplers, and glyphosate in all PEF samplers; chlorpyrifos-ethyl was the most abundant insecticide found in 93% of the samplers. Highest concentrations showed the herbicide prosulfocarb (725 ± 1218 ng sample−1), the fungicide folpet (412 ± 465 ng sample−1), and the insecticide chlorpyrifos-ethyl (110 ± 98 ng sample−1). Pesticide numbers and concentrations increased with increasing proportions of arable land in the surroundings. However, pesticides were also found in two National Parks (10 and 33 pesticides) or a city center (17 pesticides). Pesticide numbers and concentrations changed between seasons and correlated with land use, temperature, radiation, and wind, but were unaffected by substance volatility. Potential ecotoxicological exposure of mammals, birds, earthworms, fish, and honeybees increased with increasing pesticide numbers and concentrations. Human toxicity potential of detected pesticides was high, with averaged 54% being acutely toxic, 39% reproduction toxic, 24% cancerogenic, and 10% endocrine disrupting. This widespread pesticide air pollution indicates that current environmental risk assessments, field application techniques, protective measures, and regulations are inadequate to protect the environment and humans from potentially harmful exposure.

Zusammenfassung Der Klimawandel ist eine Gefahr für Gesundheit und soziale Sicherheit von Milliarden von Menschen. Gesundheit und Lebensqualität werden unter dem Einfluss der Klimakrise zunehmend auf vielfältige Weise beeinträchtigt. Der Anstieg der globalen Temperaturen hat häufigere, stärkere Extremwetterereignisse zur Folge, die insgesamt und speziell in der Gesundheitsversorgung zur weiteren Aggravierung von Ungleichheit, Diskriminierung und Ungerechtigkeit beitragen. Zudem begünstigen die klimatischen Bedingungen die Übertragung zahlreicher Infektionskrankheiten und ihr Vordringen in neue Regionen. Sozio-ökonomisch benachteiligte Gebiete mit schwacher Gesundheitsinfrastruktur, etwa im globalen Süden, werden am wenigsten in der Lage sein, ohne gezielte Unterstützung die Folgen der Klimakrise zu bewältigen. Oberstes Gebot ist es, die Verringerung der Treibhausgasemissionen in den Bereichen Verkehr, Energie- und Nahrungsmittelproduktion zu erreichen – auf globaler, nationaler und regionaler Ebene, um negative Gesundheitsfolgen zu mildern. Das Pariser Übereinkommen (2015) ist daher auch als entscheidendes Gesundheitsabkommen zu begreifen. Der Fokus dieses Beitrages liegt auf ethischen Aspekten des Klimawandels im Gesundheitsbereich.