Hitzeaktionspläne in Europa : Strategien zur Bekämpfung gesundheitlicher Folgen von Extremwetterereignissen (Schwerpunkt)

BackgroundFollowing the heat wave in 2003, some European countries developed heat-health action plans, including early warning systems, specific preventative measures and morbidity- or mortality-based surveillance systems. Based on these experiences WHO Europe launched a guideline on heat-health action plans in 2008, stressing eight factors for successful prevention strategies.ObjectivesTo summarise examples from European countries of how to allocate responsibilities, how to reach vulnerable groups and how to monitor morbidity and mortality during heat waves.ResultsThough a systematic evaluation of European heat-health action plans is missing to date, the examples give sufficient suggestions for further adaptation planning in Germany.