Mapping heatwave-related mortality across 2288 local communities in Australia: a nationwide time-series analysis

This study aimed to assess and map heatwave-related mortality burdens across Australia. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense in a warming climate and can cause substantial excess deaths.

In this study, the authors analysed 249,546 death records (47.9% female, median age 81) from 2,288 SA2 communities between 2016 and 2019. The pooled relative risk of heatwaves on all-cause mortality over lag 0–10 was 1.05 (95% CI: 1.02–1.08). An estimated 1,009 deaths (95% empirical CI: 903–1,052) were attributable to heatwaves, equivalent to a national attributable mortality rate of 1.08 (95% CI: 0.97–1.13) deaths per 100,000 residents per year. Queensland and New South Wales had the highest attributable mortality rates—over three times those in Western Australia. Communities with higher proportions of elderly residents, gender imbalance, individuals needing assistance, and lower income or education experienced higher mortality burdens.