Association between air temperature and deaths due tocancer and heart disease in Alabama

Background: Adverse health effects have been predicted from a so-called “global warming”. The present study is the second in a series that tests the global warming question at the county level in an individual state using an ecological design. The state studied this time is Alabama. Methods: Two response variables, cancer death rates and heart disease death rates for the counties were compared to two environmental “dose” (predictor) variables: air temperature and land elevation. Results: Linear multiple regression did not reveal any statistically significant adverse health effects for either predictor with these response variables. Indeed, in the heart disease model, warmer temperatures were associated with lower death rates. Conclusion: These results contradict dire predictions of adverse health consequences as a result of global warming. Further research for other states is indicated.