Latest news with #LondonSchoolofHygiene
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
The NHS change that could prevent 6,500 cancer cases each year
A new study suggests that thousands of breast cancer cases could be prevented annually in the UK by expanding eligibility for risk-reducing mastectomies (RRM). The research indicates that approximately 6,500 cases could be averted each year if RRM was more widely adopted beyond current genetic predispositions. Currently, RRM is primarily offered to women with BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 genes, but the study proposes including those with other high-risk genes like ATM and CHEK2. The study also highlights that a combination of factors, including family history, parity, breastfeeding, and mammogram density, should be considered for RRM eligibility. Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found RRM to be cost-effective for women aged 30-55 with a lifetime breast cancer risk of 35 per cent or more.
The Independent
12-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
The deadly hidden dangers of heatwaves – and how to keep yourself safe
Heatwaves have been made 100 times more likely and 2-4C hotter due to climate change, scientists have warned. A rapid study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group found the heatwave last week in the south-east of England was around 10 times more likely than without human activity warming the planet. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London also estimated there were around 570 excess deaths between 19 June and 22 June due to the last heatwave, based on historic mortality data. Temperatures could reach 34C on Saturday after the mercury hit a high of 34.7C in the West Midlands on Friday. Wales, meanwhile, recorded its hottest day of the year as Usk hit 32.7C. Amber heat health alerts are in place for large parts of England, with authorities warning soaring temperatures over the weekend are likely to cause a rise in deaths. The alert, which covers the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England and London, will last until 9am on Monday. Here, The Independent looks at how you can keep yourself safe during a heatwave: Prevent dehydration The government advises staying hydrated during hot weather by drinking fluids regularly throughout the day, particularly if you are active. Water, diluted squash and lower-fat milks are recommended. While fruit juice, smoothies and soft drinks can seem refreshing, they often contain high levels of sugar, which may contribute to dehydration. It's best to limit how much of these you consume and opt for diet, sugar-free or no-added-sugar alternatives instead. If you're heading out, take a refillable bottle of water with you, and carry extra if travelling by car or public transport. Alcohol can dehydrate the body, so choosing alcohol-free drinks or alternating alcoholic drinks with water is advised. Protect yourself from the sun The sun in the UK is strong enough to cause sunburn, with children especially vulnerable to skin damage. To reduce your risk, follow these sun safety measures: Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its strongest Wear loose, light-coloured clothing made from tightly woven fabric, such as long-sleeved shirts, trousers or long skirts Protect your head, neck, face and ears with a wide-brimmed hat Use sunglasses to shield your eyes from the sun Apply sunscreen generously and top it up regularly, especially after swimming or using a towel. The NHS recommends using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and a UVA rating of four or five stars. How to keep your home cool Homes can become uncomfortably warm during hot weather, especially at night when trying to sleep. To keep indoor temperatures down, consider the following steps: Keep blinds and curtains closed on windows that face direct sunlight during the day If your home has external shutters or shades, keep them closed too Try to sleep or rest in the coolest part of the house When it's cooler outside than indoors, typically during the night, open windows if it is safe, and create a cross-breeze to help air circulate Use electric fans if the indoor temperature is below 35C, but avoid directing airflow straight at your body, as this can contribute to dehydration Make sure heating systems are switched off Turn off any lights or electronic devices not being used, as they can generate extra heat If the temperature outside is cooler, especially in shaded areas, consider spending time outdoors Public spaces such as places of worship, libraries or supermarkets may be cooler than your home. If they are nearby, visiting one can offer a helpful break from the heat. Heat exhaustion happens when the body gets too hot and struggles to cool down. It's not usually serious if you cool down within 30 minutes, but if untreated, it can develop into heatstroke, according to the NHS. Signs of heat exhaustion include: Tiredness or weakness Dizziness or feeling faint Headache Muscle cramps Nausea or vomiting Heavy sweating Strong thirst Heatstroke is more serious and occurs when the body's temperature rises to dangerous levels and can no longer cool itself. Symptoms include: Confusion or disorientation Loss of coordination Rapid heartbeat Fast breathing or shortness of breath Hot, dry skin (not sweating) Seizures Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Call 999 immediately and try to cool the person down while waiting for help. Who is most at risk during hot weather? While anyone can feel unwell in the heat, some people are more vulnerable. These include:
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Extreme heat could lead to 30,000 deaths a year in England and Wales by 2070s, say scientists
More than 30,000 people a year in England and Wales could die from heat-related causes by the 2070s, scientists have warned. A new study calculates that heat mortality could rise more than fiftyfold in 50 years because of climate heating. Researchers at UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine compared different potential scenarios, looking at levels of warming, measures to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, regional climatic differences and potential power outages. They also modelled the ageing population. Between 1981 and 2021, there were on average 634 heat-related deaths in England and Wales a year. The research, published in PLoS Climate, found that – in the worst-case scenario of 4.3C of warming by the end of the century and assuming minimal adaptation to mitigate the effects – heat-related deaths would increase sixteenfold to 10,317 in the 2050s, and would exceed 34,000 by the 2070s. Even if temperature rises are limited to 1.6C of warming over preindustrial levels and high levels of adaptation are put in place, annual heat-related deaths will still increase up to sixfold by the 2070s. The record-setting hot summer of 2022 – when temperatures reached 40.3C in Coningsby, Lincolnshire – had 2,985 excess heat deaths, indicating a potential 'new normal' by as early as the 2050s, the research concluded. The findings come as the UK Health Security Agency issued a yellow heat health alert for all regions from Thursday 10 July until Tuesday 15 July. Temperatures were expected to reach 27-29C in large parts of England and Wales on Thursday, with hotter weather of up to 31-33C forecast for the weekend. Dr Clare Heaviside, a senior author at UCL Bartlett School Environment, Energy & Resources, said the findings painted 'a sobering picture of the consequences of climate change'. 'Over the next 50 years,' she said, 'the health impacts of a warming climate are going to be significant. We can mitigate their severity by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and with carefully planned adaptations, but we have to start now.' The research also found that previous research underestimated heat mortality by not assessing the impact of older societies. Over the next 50 years, the population of England and Wales is predicted to age significantly, with the greatest increase in population size for those age 65 and over by the 2060s. Older people are more vulnerable in hot weather, with an extra 250 million people worldwide age 69 or above who will be exposed to dangerous levels of heat by 2050. Dr Rebecca Cole, of the department of public health, environments and society at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and lead author of the study, said the findings showed the need for careful thought and planning in how to reduce the impact of global heating. 'Increases in heat-related deaths are not just a consequence of rising temperatures – they're also driven by how we build our cities, care for vulnerable populations and address social inequality. Concerted adaptation strategies are required, well in excess of those over the last 30 years.' Responding to the findings, Matthew Bazeley-Bell, the deputy chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: 'Our health is strongly influenced by the environment and the climate crisis is also a public health crisis. These alarming projections show a devastating impact. 'We need to take action that curbs emissions and also prepare people to deal with the effects of climate change on our health – particularly for vulnerable populations.' Dr Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the University of Reading, said: 'If floods and storms are the loud alarms of climate change, extreme heat is its silent killer. It is disproportionately lethal, often going unnoticed until it's too late. With another heatwave bearing down on the UK, this warning feels more urgent than ever. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion 'Heat is not only claiming more lives, but power outages and an ageing population could make things far worse if adaptation doesn't keep pace. 'As the UK experiences fewer cold extremes and more frequent and deadly heatwaves, protecting older adults must be at the heart of climate and public health planning – before this silent threat becomes an undeniable crisis.' Dr Raquel Nunes, an assistant professor in health and environment at the University of Warwick, said the increasing frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves underscored the urgent need to take protective action. 'Heat-related deaths and illnesses are both preventable and avoidable,' she said, adding that they 'expose systemic failures' that require 'socially inclusive and institutionally embedded adaptation across governance, infrastructure, and health and care services to prevent increasing vulnerabilities and inequalities'. Prof Lea Berrang Ford, the head of the UK Health Security Agency's Centre for Climate and Health Security, said: 'The relationship between periods of hot weather and increased mortality is well-established and temperatures are likely to increase until at least mid-century, irrespective of the amount by which we decarbonise in the decades to come. 'The health decisions we make today will determine the severity and extent of climate inherited by future generations, and so it's vital we take action. 'UKHSA continues to develop its guidance and evidence, working with partners to protect the most vulnerable in our society who are most likely to feel the impacts of hot weather.''
LBCI
09-07-2025
- Health
- LBCI
Climate change made European heatwave up to 4C hotter: Study
Human-caused climate change made the recent European heatwave up to 4C hotter in many cities, scientists said on Wednesday, pushing temperatures into deadly territory for thousands of vulnerable people. Global warming "amplified this heatwave by approximately 2 to 4 degrees (Celsius) across most of the cities" studied, said Ben Clarke from Imperial College London, which led the research with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. AFP
Reuters
09-07-2025
- Health
- Reuters
European heatwave caused 2,300 deaths, scientists estimate
COPENHAGEN/BRUSSELS, July 9 (Reuters) - Around 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities during the severe heatwave that ended last week, according to a rapid scientific analysis published on Wednesday. The study targeted the 10 days, ending July 2, during which large parts of Western Europe were hit by extreme heat, with temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) in Spain and wildfires breaking out in France. Of the 2,300 people estimated to have died during this period, 1,500 deaths were linked to climate change, which made the heatwave more severe, according to the study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous," said Dr Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London. The study covered 12 cities including Barcelona, Madrid, London and Milan, where the researchers said climate change had increased heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius. The researchers used established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the death toll, which reflects deaths where heat was the underlying reason for mortality, including if exposure exacerbated pre-existing health conditions. The scientists said they used peer-reviewed methods to quickly produce the estimated death toll, because most heat-related deaths are not officially reported and some governments do not release this data. Last month was the planet's third-hottest June on record, behind the same month in 2024 and 2023, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said in a monthly bulletin on Wednesday. Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, with much of the region experiencing "very strong heat stress" - defined by conditions that feel like a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more, Copernicus said. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe," said Samantha Burgess, Copernicus' strategic lead for climate. Researchers from European health institutes reported in 2023 that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Europe's sweltering heatwaves in 2022, according to new research, suggesting countries' heat preparedness efforts are falling fatally short. The build-up of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere - which mostly come from the burning of fossil fuels - means the planet's average temperature has increased over time. This increase in baseline temperatures means that when a heatwave comes, temperatures can surge to higher peaks.
