Thursday, February 16, 2023
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Clark 108 or online
In mid-latitude locations, human mortality and morbidity exhibit strong seasonality, with markedly higher rates for most diseases in winter vs. summer. Major deviations from this seasonal pattern tend to be related to years with significant influenza outbreaks and/or heat waves, both of which are (at least partially) related to climatic factors. Interestingly, although the seasonal course of disease is well-known, the underlying drivers are not. In the cold season, a key question is the extent to which influenza transmission and morbidity is related to climate. In the warm season, although the impacts of extreme heat events and heat waves at the MSA scale are well-known, a surprising number of key research questions about heat responses remain unanswered. Prof. Davis will discuss heat-related mortality, human adaptations to heat stress, and lag factors that can significantly impact modeling results and potential impacts. Additionally, he will explore some new and ongoing research on how short-term weather changes can induce physiological strain.
This event is hosted by UVA's Environmental Sciences.
