Deaths among the elderly rise sharply after cold spells in Hong Kong, a study released on Tuesday shows.

Those in low-income districts are in particular at risk, the study indicates.

The study, which was the first of its kind in the city, was conducted by the Climate Change and Health Study Group of the School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Researchers analyzed daily non-accidental death tallies during cold seasons (November - March) from 1998 to 2008.

The study revealed more deaths in winter months, especially in February, which averaged 98.5 deaths a day.

Accidental deaths were not counted in the study.

The fewest number of deaths, averaging about 78 a day, occurred in late summer and autumn, between August and October.

Hong Kong had its worst cold spell in 40 years in 2008, with average temperature under 14 C for 24 consecutive days in January and February.

During the cold snap, the number of deaths increased by 1,050, or 24 percent above seasonal norm.

With statistics of mortality provided by the Census and Statistics Department, the study finds a one-degree drop in mean temperature below 24 C was associated with 3 percent increase in natural deaths.

The increase in deaths were predominantly among people over 65.

"For Hong Kong, the cold wave has a much stronger affect than a heat wave. People here are well adapted to hot weather as there is air-conditioning, but people do not pay so much attention to heating," said William Goggins, a professional consultant of the public health school.

"People are not aware of how unhealthy it is being exposed to cold temperatures. They may feel uncomfortable, but I don't think they realize that it can actually increase the risk of heart attack," Goggins said.

The Hong Kong Observatory observed seven days with minimum temperature under 12 C in December 2010.

"If the cold spell continues, we have reason to believe the death tolls this year will be higher," said Emily Chan, assistant professor at the university and the convener of the school.

"As the weather gets more extreme, it is worth noting that the government needs to work out more measures to protect the residents from cold weather," she said.

NGOs working with the elderly expressed concerns about the toll in cold weather.

"The government provides only one-off incentives but ignores the basic problems such as insufficient medical professionals," said Doris Yu, supervisor in charge of elderly services of Caritas Hong Kong.

"There is no warm-keeping education on television or advertisements. Old people need the tips to stay warm," said Diana Kam, service director of the Hong Kong Society for the Aged.

China Daily

(HK Edition 01/26/2011 page1)