Climate and Health: Winter Health Hazards Dashboard

Data shown are subject to change and may be updated as more information is available.

Certain health illnesses and injuries occur more often during the winter. For example, as temperature falls ED visits for cold exposure increase. Likewise, during times of snow ED visits for falls due to ice or snow increase.

How to use the data visualizations

The visualizations on this page are interactive, describe trends and identify the most impacted populations for seven different conditions. Users can select the condition of interest by selecting the circles. You can also use the dropdown menus to filter and view data for the following selections: season, age group, Wisconsin Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition (HERC) regions, and charts or tables.

Technical data notes and data sources

The dashboard is updated every week day during November through April.

Data source: Near real-time ED visit data from ESSENCE (Electronic Surveillance System for Early Notification of Community Based Epidemics) from the National Syndromic Surveillance Program. Approximately 95% of non-federal Wisconsin EDs are represented in the dataset, and most EDs transmit visit information into ESSENCE within 24 hours.

This near real-time data monitoring system uses patient electronic health records to identify and investigate trends in emerging public health threats. The health records include a reason for the patient's visit and a discharge diagnosis code assigned by the hospital that describes the cause of the injury or illness. This code helps public health professionals collect and track the data to understand how and how often the injury or illness happens.

Metrics shown in this dashboard:

• The daily trends line chart shows the daily rate of ED visits with the condition of interest (for example, cold exposure) per 10,000 ED visits.
  • These rates are calculated by dividing the number of ED visits with the condition that day by the total number of ED visits that day. The result is then multiplied by 10,000 to express the value as a rate per 10,000 visits.
• Depending on the condition selected, the daily trends line chart also shows the daily minimum temperature or daily maximum snowfall as reported by the National Weather Service. If a specific region is chosen, the minimum temperature or maximum snowfall shown will be for that region.
• The comparison by region map shows the rate of ED visits with the condition of interest per 10,000 ED visits for each HERC region. This includes information for the entire season.
  • These rates are calculated by dividing the number of ED visits with the condition in the region by the total number of ED visits reported in the region. The result is then multiplied by 10,000 to express the value as a rate per 10,000 visits.
• The comparison by age group bar chart shows the rate of ED visits with the condition of interest per 10,000 ED visits for each age group. This includes information for the entire season.
  • Rates are calculated by dividing the number of ED visits with the condition among patients in that age group by the total number of ED visits reported among patients in that age group. The result is then multiplied by 10,000 to express the value as a rate per 10,000 visits.
• The comparison by sex pie chart shows the percentage of ED visits with the condition by sex. This includes information for the entire season.
  • Percentages of visits are calculated by dividing the number of ED visits with the condition for each sex group by the total number of ED visits with the condition.
• If you choose to filter by working age, season, or region, both the numerators and denominators in these calculations are adjusted to include data for visits that meet your selections.
• Rates and percentages are shown because they smooth out fluctuations in visits that result from unexpected changes in data reporting and different patterns of health care use based on the day of the week.

Dashboard data descriptions

Asthma data description

Visits with severe asthma were identified by searching the visit chief complaints and discharge diagnoses for words like “asthma exacerbation” or ICD-10-CM codes, such as J45.51. The Severe Asthma v1 query definition in NSSP ESSENCE was used.

All-terrain vehicle (ATV) injury data description

Visits for ATV injuries were identified by searching the visit chief complaints and discharge diagnoses for words like “all-terrain vehicle”, “utility task vehicle”, “ATV”, and “UTV”, or ICD-10-CM codes, such as V86.05. The ATV related v1 query definition in NSSP ESSENCE was used.

Carbon monoxide data description

Visits with carbon monoxide exposure were identified by searching the visit chief complaints and discharge diagnoses for words like “carbon monoxide,” and “CO poisoning,” or ICD-10-CM codes, such as T58. The CDC Unintentional Carbon Monoxide Exposure v1 query definition in NSSP ESSENCE was used.

Cold exposure data description

Visits with cold exposure were identified by searching the visit chief complaints and discharge diagnoses for words like “exposure to cold,” “hypothermia,” and “frost bite,” or ICD-10-CM codes, such as X31 and T68. The Cold Related Illness v1 query definition in NSSP ESSENCE was used.

Falls due to ice or snow data description

Visits with falls were identified by searching discharge diagnoses for ICD-10-CM code W00 (Fall due to ice and snow).

Motor vehicle crash data description

Visits with motor vehicle crash injuries were identified by searching the visit chief complaints and discharge diagnoses for words like “motor vehicle crash”, “motorcycle crash”, “car accident”, or ICD-10-CM codes, such as V02.1 and V89.2. The All Traffic Related v2 query definition in NSSP ESSENCE was used.

Snowmobile-related injuries data description

Visits with snowmobile injuries were identified by searching the visit chief complaints and discharge diagnoses for words like “snowmobile” or ICD-10-CM codes, such as V86.52. The Snowmobile Related v1 query definition in NSSP ESSENCE was used.

Asthma

• Visit the DHS Asthma Program for tips and resources on asthma.
• Visit the DHS Outdoor Air Quality and Health for more information on air quality.
• Visit the CDC Air Pollution website for guidance and resources.

ATV and snowmobile

• Visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ATV website for ATV safety classes, incident reporting, and more.
• Visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Snowmobile website for snowmobile safety classes, incident reporting, safety tips, and more.

Carbon monoxide

• Visit DHS Carbon Monoxide for safety tips and resources.
• Visit CDC Carbon Monoxide Poisoning for identifying carbon monoxide poisoning and information on how to prevent it.

Cold exposure and falls due to ice or snow

• Visit DHS Winter Weather and Extreme Cold for safety tips.

Motor vehicle traffic injuries

• Visit DHS Traffic Safety for information on the Safe System Approach and Wisconsin crash data.
• View CDC Transportation Safety for resources about child passenger safety, teen drivers, and older adult drivers.