DEP has been involved in several European and National projects on the health effects of extreme weather events and has recently coordinated the European co-funded project PHASE (Public Health Adaptation Strategies to Extreme weather events).

Projects and research have focused on the short-term effects of heat and heat waves on mortality and how these may have changed over time, in response to climate change, and to the introduction of heat Plans. Another key aspect is the identification of subgroups of the population most susceptible to heat, such as the elderly, subjects with chronic conditions and pregnant women.

Cold spells have also been studied.

Publications:

• Changes in the Effect of Heat on Mortality in the Last 20 Years in Nine European Cities. Results from the PHASE Project. (IJERPH, 2015)
• Changes in the effects of heat on mortality among the elderly from 1998-2010: results from a multicenter time series study in Italy. (EH, 2012)
• The impact of heat waves on mortality in 9 European cities: results from the EuroHEAT project. (EH, 2010)
• A time series study on the effects of heat on mortality and evaluation of heterogeneity into European and Eastern-Southern Mediterranean cities: results of EU CIRCE project. (Environ Health, 2013)
• The effect of heat waves on mortality in susceptible groups: a cohort study of a Mediterranean and a northern European City. (Environ Health, 2015)
• The impact of the February 2012 cold spell on health in Italy using surveillance data. (Plos one, 2013)

Related projects

• European project: "Public Health Adaptation Strategies to Extreme weather events (PHASE)"
• European project: "Integrated Assessment of Health Risks from Environmental Stressors in Europe (INTARESE)"
• European project: "Improving Public Health Responses to Heat Waves (EuroHEAT)"
• Ministry of Health project: “Piano Operativo Nazionale per la Prevenzione degli Effetti del Caldo sulla Salute"

Back to ACTIVITIES