The effect of social and economical factors and climatic conditions on regional difference of death rate due to cerebral apoplexy

especially, in correlation to thermal indoor environment of houses

Abstract

This study aims to clarify how the following factors affect outbreak of cerebral apoplexy. The factors to be studied are as follows: 1) Performance of housing, centering around thermal indoor environment of houses 2) Social and economic factors of residents 3) Climatic condition as natural environmental factor First of all, the questionnaire was conducted on 1438 houses in 10 cities and towns in Miyagi Prefecture. The data obtained show that in areas of high death rate due to cerebral apoplexy (farm areas), many of the houses are in a cold environment due to insufficient heating and outdoor toilets. Secondly, comparative surveys between contrast groups and patients groups were conducted in Shiwahime-cho and Karakuwa-cho. The patients groups consisted of the families whose members had died of celebral apoplexy during the previous 5 years. The results obtained by the survey on social and economic environ-mental conditions are as follows: (In Shiwahime-cho: 35 persons in each group Karakuwa-cho: 34 persons in each group) Significant difference between the patients and contrast groups on health conditions and habit of meals 1) More persons under treatment for hyperpiesia in the patients groups 2) More previous heart diseases in the patients groups 3) Tendency to prefer salty food in the patients groups According to the survey on housing construction and thermal environment, (In Shiwahime-cho: 37 houses in the patients group, 43 houses in the contrast group. In Karakuwa-cho: 34 houses in the patients group, 47 houses in the contrast group) the difference between the two groups on housing construction and heating can hardly be realized. But when comparing the two groups on the weekly average room temperature, in any case excluding family hours in bedrooms in Shiwahime-cho, the temperature of the patients group was lower, though the difference was less than 1.3° C. For example, difference of average living room temperature at family hours after dinner was 1.12° C in Shiwahime-cho, and 0.56°C in Karakuwa-cho (between contrast and patients groups.) But it is not clear enough how much the difference affects the death rate due to cerebral apoplexy. The detailed survey on room temperature shows that the difference of the temperatures at family hours between a heated room and an unheated room such as a bedroom or a toilet often became more than 10°C. And according to the continuous observation of blood pressure of two persons, it was apparent that blood pressure rushed up in moving into a cold place. Thus it may be said that the lessening of the difference of temperature among the rooms for daily use as mentioned above may help to prevent cerebral apoplexy.