Temperature extremes, climate change and multimorbidity: a rapid scoping review
Temperature extremes, climate change and multimorbidity: a rapid scoping review
Introduction: exposure to extreme temperatures disproportionally impacts vulnerable populations, including those with multimorbidity (i.e., people living with two or more long-term health conditions). A greater frequency of temperature extremes such as heatwaves driven by climate change will likely increase adverse health outcomes in vulnerable populations. Therefore, it is important to understand the potential effects of temperature extremes on the health outcomes of multimorbidity populations to aid the planning of healthcare systems and preventive interventions. In this review, evidence was collated and summarised, describing the health outcomes of extreme temperatures amongst people with multimorbidity.
Methods: a rapid scoping review with searches on temperature extremes and outcomes in multimorbidity populations was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, Scopus and Wiley Library. These searches were supplemented with manual citation and Google Scholar searches. There were 1,225 titles screened, with data extracted by two independent reviewers. Eight papers were included in the final analysis.
Results: relatively few studies were identified, indicating limited evidence on this topic. Existing evidence focused on the increased risk of mortality in the multimorbidity population from extreme heat. No studies were identified examining the impact of cold extremes on the health outcomes of those with multimorbidity.
Conclusion: there is a need for significant further research, including systematic review and/or empirical investigation, on a range of issues that can further understanding of the effects of temperature extremes on health outcomes of multimorbidity populations.
Climate change, Health outcomes, Multimorbidity, Rapid scoping review, Temperature extremes
Dambha-Miller, Hajira
58961db5-31aa-460e-9394-08590c4b7ba1
Nagdi, Uzayr
98977f8c-c049-4d00-8ea4-b03eb0051b8c
Smith, Lucy
835f8b9b-b6e0-4f5f-b6b4-a48c7913b463
Simpson, Glenn
802b50d9-aa00-4cca-9eaf-238385f8481c
29 July 2025
Dambha-Miller, Hajira
58961db5-31aa-460e-9394-08590c4b7ba1
Nagdi, Uzayr
98977f8c-c049-4d00-8ea4-b03eb0051b8c
Smith, Lucy
835f8b9b-b6e0-4f5f-b6b4-a48c7913b463
Simpson, Glenn
802b50d9-aa00-4cca-9eaf-238385f8481c
Dambha-Miller, Hajira, Nagdi, Uzayr, Smith, Lucy and Simpson, Glenn
(2025)
Temperature extremes, climate change and multimorbidity: a rapid scoping review.
The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 24, [100452].
(doi:10.1016/j.joclim.2025.100452).
Abstract
Introduction: exposure to extreme temperatures disproportionally impacts vulnerable populations, including those with multimorbidity (i.e., people living with two or more long-term health conditions). A greater frequency of temperature extremes such as heatwaves driven by climate change will likely increase adverse health outcomes in vulnerable populations. Therefore, it is important to understand the potential effects of temperature extremes on the health outcomes of multimorbidity populations to aid the planning of healthcare systems and preventive interventions. In this review, evidence was collated and summarised, describing the health outcomes of extreme temperatures amongst people with multimorbidity.
Methods: a rapid scoping review with searches on temperature extremes and outcomes in multimorbidity populations was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, Scopus and Wiley Library. These searches were supplemented with manual citation and Google Scholar searches. There were 1,225 titles screened, with data extracted by two independent reviewers. Eight papers were included in the final analysis.
Results: relatively few studies were identified, indicating limited evidence on this topic. Existing evidence focused on the increased risk of mortality in the multimorbidity population from extreme heat. No studies were identified examining the impact of cold extremes on the health outcomes of those with multimorbidity.
Conclusion: there is a need for significant further research, including systematic review and/or empirical investigation, on a range of issues that can further understanding of the effects of temperature extremes on health outcomes of multimorbidity populations.
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Accepted/In Press date: 20 April 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 29 July 2025
Published date: 29 July 2025
Keywords:
Climate change, Health outcomes, Multimorbidity, Rapid scoping review, Temperature extremes
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 504856
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/504856
PURE UUID: 4ddf3e40-0034-4d8b-9388-0aa15fea3bc1
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Date deposited: 19 Sep 2025 16:44
Last modified: 20 Sep 2025 02:13
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Author:
Uzayr Nagdi
Author:
Lucy Smith
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