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Cold related deaths found more prominent in rural West
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Deaths associated with cold weather are more common in rural areas in the West, compared with any other region in the U.S., according to a CDC report.
Researchers evaluated 5,809 cold related deaths, reported between 2010 and 2013, including both deaths that were directly related to the cold or where cold was an underlying cause of death.
The report showed that there were 20.5 deaths per million in non-metropolitan regions of the West, compared with 4.5 to 7.8 deaths per million in other non-metropolitan regions in the country.
A significant difference was seen in cold-related deaths in metropolitan areas, where the mortality ranged from 2.9 to 5 deaths per million.
The CDC report categorized the West to include Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Reference:
CDC. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm6409.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2015.