Excess mortality during the 2003 heat wave in Paris, France

Florence Canoui-Poitrine, Service de Santé Publique et d'Epidémiologie
Emmanuelle Cadot, Service de Santé publique et d'Epidémiologie - Hôpital Bicêtre-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris
Alfred Spira, Service de Santé Publique et d'Epidémiologie - Hôpital Bicêtre-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris

Background : during the 2003 heat wave in France in 2003, about 15,000 deaths in excess occured. The Paris area was one of the most affected (mortality excess = 210%). The aim of our study was to describe the distribution of excess mortality in Paris and to analyze the contributing individual and contextual factors associated with it. Methods : we compared the characteristics of Parisians who died in Paris (1-20 August 2003) to those who died in 2000, 2001, 2002. Results : the Southern and Eastern districts of Paris had the highest mortality excess. Factors associated with excess mortality were : age over 70 years (OR=1,70[1,28-2,25]), female sex (OR=1,41[1,09-1,83]), and social isolation (OR=1,68[1,28-2,22]). The geographic zone of residency (OR=2,69[1,81-4,02] for the south of Paris) although contributed. Conclusions: The risk of excess mortality during the heat wave in an urban area is associated not only with individual factors, but also with socioeconomic, geographic and urbanistic factors.