The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe released a document entitled ‘Public Health Advice on Preventing Health Effects of Heat- New and Updated Information for Different Audiences’ in 2011.

Although a little dated, the document assumes significance in light of recent heatwave conditions in many parts of the world.

Contents:

• Information for the general public during heat-waves (UPDATED)
• For health authorities, medical professionals and care providers: risk factors for heat illness and mortality (NEW)
• For medical professionals and care providers: health conditions that create high risk of health effects from heat (NEW)
• For medical professionals: adverse effects of medication during hot weather (UPDATED)
• For medical professionals: considerations regarding drinking advice during hot weather and heat-waves Information for general practitioners (GPs)
• Information for retirement and care home managers
• For medical professionals: mild and moderate heat illnesses and their management
• For medical professionals: management of life-threatening heatstroke
• For the general public and care home managers: reducing indoor temperatures during hot weather (UPDATED)
• For health authorities: information on protecting health from vegetation fires during heat-waves (NEW)
• For the public: information on protecting your health from vegetation fires during heat-waves (NEW)
• For health authorities, care home managers and employers: standards for occupational safety during heat-waves (NEW)
• For health authorities and city planners: interventions in the built environment for the protection of health from effects of heat (NEW)
• For health authorities: communicating “heat” (UPDATED) 10 steps towards a heat–health action plan (NEW)

I will describe general measures during a heatwave in a subsequent post

Useful Link:

Link to the Document:

http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/147265/Heat_information_sheet.pdf?ua=1&ua=1