Summer health risks: are they for real?

Summertime is really here. School vacation has already started. And though it’s nice and warm in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, it can be scorching hot in others. So you want to spend time outdoors and get a little exercise. But what to do in the unbearable heat of the summer? First of all, we are warned of the dangers that come with summer and these are:

• Sunburns
• Dehydration
• Heat strokes
• Summer infections
• Insect bites
• Burns from barbecue and bush fires
• Lighting strikes

However, despite all the warnings we see, hear and read, people shouldn’t be scared of venturing out and be active in the summertime. According to WebMD, the chances of fatality due to these summer health risks are slim. In fact, the following figures from the National Safety Council give us an idea of the actual risks:

Traffic accidents

You’d think that because of the favorable weather conditions in summer that there’d be less vehicular accidents. Well, actually it is the nice weather conditions that make more people venture out and travel with the car, that make people drive faster than usual, that make more people drive less carefully. Related to traffic accidents are bicycle accidents. Cycling is a popular summer sport and accidents can lead to head injuries that are fatal due to non-wearing of helmet.

Drowning

It is not surprising that the risk of drowning ranks second after traffic accidents. Swimming pools, lakes, rivers and the ocean are popular summer destinations.  It is estimated that at least 3,000 people drown in the US each year. Children under 5 drown more often in swimming pools, especially the family pool, rather than in the natural water bodies. More adults drown in the sea due to undertows, strong rip currents, and boating accidents. The U.S. Coast Guard recorded more than 5,700 boating accidents in 2002, causing 4,062 injuries and 750 deaths.

Excessive heat

Heat waves occur sporadically and excessive natural heat can only lead to death as a consequence of dehydration, heat strokes, and exacerbation of underlying chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. This is, however, highly preventable. The key is drink, drink, and drink and stay out of the midday sun.

Summer infections and diseases

There are some infections associated with some, many of which are food-borne or insect-borne. In the US, the West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes, whereas spoiled meat at the grill leads to food poisoning.

Rare but well-publicized risks

Lightning strikes and shark attacks are summer risks that are very unlikely to happen. However, when they do, they tend to get publicized and cause unnecessary alarm to the public.
According to National Safety Council spokesman John Ulczycki

“The topical rather than the important hazards tend to get the most attention. People may misinterpret or misunderstand where the real risk is.”

So let’s not use all the summer health risks we hear to refrain from being active this summer. We have to take care but we don’t have to be scared.

To put things into perspective….

“… for every one unfortunate who met his end in the jaws of a shark, at least 1,000 drowned; and while 201 people nationwide died of West Nile infection in 2002, car crashes killed nearly 43,000.“

Coming next: ways of staying active despite the summer heat.

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