From the University of Adelaide , something nobody would have ever guessed.
Australian state has higher rate of hypothermia deaths than Sweden
Social isolation, lack of housing insulation are contributing factors
New research from the University of Adelaide shows that the state of South Australia has a higher rate of deaths from extreme cold compared with the northern European nation of Sweden.
The study, by a team from the University’s School of Medical Sciences, analyzed forensic cases of hypothermia deaths from 2006-2011 in both South Australia and Sweden.
The results show that South Australia had a rate of 3.9 deaths for every 100,000 people, compared with Sweden’s 3.3 deaths per 100,000. In total, there were 62 fatal cases of hypothermia in South Australia and 296 cases in Sweden over the six-year period.
“Despite considerable demographic, geographic and climate differences, the death rate from hypothermia was slightly higher in South Australia than in Sweden, which is a very surprising result,” says the leader of the project, the University’s Professor Roger Byard AO.
Hypothermia is defined as a decrease in core body temperature below 35°C, with fatal hypothermia occurring at body temperatures of 26°C to 29°C.
“Most of the deaths from hypothermia in South Australia involved elderly women indoors who were living alone, often with multiple underlying illnesses and limited contact with the outside world. Many of them had been dead for at least a day before they were discovered,” Professor Byard says.
“This is in contrast with the majority of hypothermia deaths in Sweden, which usually occur outdoors and involve middle-aged males, commonly under the influence of alcohol. These bodies are often uncovered from snow drifts.
“The fact that South Australia has a much warmer climate than Sweden, with higher average temperatures and milder winters, does not stop people from being at risk of death from hypothermia. Elderly, socially isolated people are at greatest risk in this state,” Professor Byard says.
Medical Sciences PhD student Fiona Bright says descriptions of the houses were not available in the South Australian cases, so the reasons for the higher rates of indoor deaths in SA can only be speculated on.
“In addition to the many underlying medical conditions involved in these cases, it’s likely that poor heating and insulation, and lack of energy efficiency, are playing a role here. For example, only 2.6% of Australian homes have double-glazed windows compared with 100% of homes in Finland and Sweden,” Ms Bright says.
The results of this research will be published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences later this year.
Gail Combs says:
February 12, 2014 at 12:52 pm
“I never did understand social security here in the states,”
Social Security became law August 1935. The great reference source, Wikipedia, says “an attempt to limit what were seen as dangers in the modern American life, including old age, poverty, unemployment, and the burdens of widows and fatherless children.”
I heard stories on my Mama’s knee; like seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lHdXQAQHjd8
Having watched a TV program from down under called Surveillance Oz showing the police using thermal imaging camera from a helicopter to track a naughty person I was surprised at just how hot some of the house roofs were, showing just how little insulation they have. It helps in the winter to keep you warmer for less heating and cooler in summer especially if you have AC.
James Bull
I recall that Sweden has very cold weather but their houses have central heating and a friend has just been to UK and Europe and said, it was not too cold, as all buildings and buses etc., are warm.
In Sweden we also have proper isolation in our houses, for the moment we are even experiment with houses that does not need any heating and still hold around 18 deg C in the winter. UK on the other hand is cold, damn I cannot even stand London.
Boadicea says:
February 12, 2014 at 1:49 pm
“The Guvmint being of a lefty greeny persuasion has spent up big on promoting renewables such rotating bird killers and solar…with the end result that SA has the highest electricity prices in Australia and probably the world. ”
I just checked with an Aussie market compare tool. Looks like you pay about the same as we do in Germany (I got about 900 AUD for one year, 2500 kWh consumption, which translates to 600 EUR or 50 EUR a month which is slightly lower than my bill for that consumption)
As I cautioned a commenter a few days ago, it is less adapted and prepared warm climate residents most subject to hypothermia. The much bandied-about excess elderly winter deaths are more like 6K in the UK, not 32K. As I noted, Brits and Germans are far harder to kill with cold than, e.g., Algerians. Like fish, given time humans can adapt to extremes. E.g., the original Tierra del Fuego natives (just n. of Cape Horn), who lacked clothing materials, and housing, and survived winters far below freezing.
I average around 271$au a quarter for an insulated but draughty wooden home, and fixing draughts would mean every window door and all the wooden exterior to be major upgraded.
single on a pension
my bills used to be half that when I moved here in 2007
fully ONE THIRD! of my bill is massive increase in service charges! sine FORCED SMART METERS added to states costs,
and
privatisation of power co.
and iIrun wood I scrounge in winter a 40watt fan in summer no aircon very little power use except on OFF peak times
I adore doing my baking after 11pm and washing on the weekends.
well…NO I do NOT! but if I want to run the oven to bake at the standard fees I cannot afford it!!
Gail Combs says:
Fitchburg MA had a nasty episode back in the early 1990′s.
Gail – any links on that? I tried searching but had no luck.
The Pompous Git says:
February 12, 2014 at 1:25 pm
When The Git went to school $5.39 was 28% greater than $4.98!
Methinks The Git needs to go back to school….*s*
Have they looked at Russia? Very cold and lots of vodka.
Rod Everson said @ur momisugly February 13, 2014 at 9:08 am
Of course our carbon tax which the Greens and ALP seem to want to cling onto so badly that is affecting power & gas prices making them exhorbitantly high and thereby causing vulnerable people such as the poor and elderly not to be able to afford sufficient heating would have no bearing on these results.
I was told heating and cooling are the most expensive forms of electricity. Air conditioners are expensive to run, so what is wrong with the old fashioned electric fan. Close your curtains during winter at night, and insulate one’s roof. But early pioneers in Armidale reckoned the weather was healthy and had plenty of rain for crops and pastures. That’s why the Federal seat is called New England. And usually it is green but browns due to frost and drought. Sorry to the Scots that came here and wanted to called it New Caledonia, but the Brits said that was not going to be as they were in charge.
Why do the Bedouin have black tents, not because it gets bleedin’ hot in the desert, but to protect them from the cold nights. No clouds to keep them warm at night.
Damn! Another one of Corbyn predictions coming to past I dare say!