Impact of Ambient Temperature on Respiratory Disease Hospitalization in Rural Wuwei, Northwest China

Respiratory diseases (RD) pose a significant public health challenge, particularly in vulnerable populations. However, the impact of ambient temperature on RD hospitalizations in rural areas of Northwest China remains understudied. this study aimed to investigate the relationship between ambient temperature and RD hospitalization. In this research, meteorological information and hospitalization data of RD in Wuwei's rural area from 2011 to 2015 were integrated. Time series analysis was performed using distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM). Furthermore, we conducted stratifed analysis based on gender and age. Relative risk and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the relationship between temperature and admission risk. The results show that the damage caused by low temperature gradually increased with increasing lag days, and the damage effect reached a maximum at -20°C and 7 days after lag (RR = 1.313, 95% CI: 1.257–1.371). For the effect of low temperature, the cumulative risk of hospitalization was greater with a lag of 0–7 days (RR = 3.162, 95% CI: 2.918–3.427) than with other lag days. For the cold effect, the RR of extreme cold and moderate cold at 0–7 day lags were 1.822 (95% CI: 1.732–1.917) and 1.217 (95% CI: 1.200-1.233), respectively. Subgroup analysis demonstrated heightened vulnerability to cold temperatures among males and elderly individuals (≥ 65 years) compared to females and younger adults (< 65 years). Conversely, higher temperatures had a protective effect on RD hospitalization across all demographic groups. Extreme and moderate cold significantly increased RD admissions. male and older people being more susceptible to RD at low temperatures. These findings can inform the development of public health and meteorological policies aimed at safeguarding vulnerable populations and mitigating the burden of RD.