Seasonal variation of mortality in Novi Sad (Serbia): a role of air temperature

Daniela Arsenovic, University of Novi Sad
Branislav Djurdjev, University of Novi Sad
Stevan Savic, University of Novi Sad

Existing research of effects of temperature on mortality demonstrated associations between mortality and air temperature. Many regions experience increase in mortality during winter period. Recent results suggested that countries and regions in temperate climate has higher winter mortality, than regions in colder climate. Objective of this paper is to research seasonal variations of mortality-related air temperature among urban population of Novi Sad (Serbia) in the period from 1953 until 1997 and analysis is based on 45 465 recorded death. Data on monthly mortality was linked with monthly average temperature. Analysis show strong correlation between mortality and air temperature and coefficient of seasonal variation in mortality (CSVM) indicated that mortality in winter period is higher than mortality in non-winter period. A main finding of this paper is that low temperature cause increase in crude death rate (CDR) but this effect has decreasing trends.