India Among Countries Hit Hard as Climate Change Fuels Stroke Deaths: Study

A recent study published in the journal Neurology suggests a concerning trend: stroke deaths and disability worldwide are increasingly associated with temperature fluctuations linked to climate change. Researchers examined global data spanning three decades and found that in 2019 alone, over 5,20,000 stroke deaths were attributed to non-optimal temperatures. The majority of these deaths, more than 4,70,000, were caused by lower-than-optimal temperatures. However, deaths related to higher temperatures have also risen since 1990.

India, too, felt the impact, with nearly 33,000 stroke deaths linked to temperature variations. Approximately 55% of these deaths were due to higher temperatures, while 45% were due to lower temperatures. The study emphasizes that the burden of stroke due to high temperatures has risen, particularly among those over 10 years old and in regions with low Socio-demographic Index (SDI), such as Africa.

The study also noted that aging contributes significantly to the increased burden of stroke related to temperature changes.

Men appear to be disproportionately affected, with a higher death rate from stroke linked to temperature variations compared to women. Regionally, Central Asia stands out with the highest death rate due to non-optimal temperatures.

The researchers stress the need for further investigation to understand how temperature fluctuations impact stroke and to develop targeted solutions, especially in addressing health disparities.

The study relied on datasets from various sources, including the Climate Research Unit Gridded Time Series, the World Bank, and the Global Burden of Diseases study, to assess the global spread of stroke burden across 204 countries and territories.