There has been growing concern over the effects of heat waves on health. However, the effects of heat waves on the health of individuals in vulnerable groups have rarely been examined. We aimed to investigate the acute health effects of heat waves in elderly individuals living in rural areas and to survey their adaptation capacity. Repeated measurements of body temperature (BT), blood pressure, sleep disturbance, and indoor temperature were conducted up to six times for each of 104 elderly individuals living in rural areas of South Korea during the 2018 heat wave. Changes in BT, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) according to variations in indoor and outdoor temperature were analyzed using linear mixed effect models controlling for age, sex, smoking, and drug use. We also surveyed heat wave adaptation capacity, heat wave shelters, and self-reported health problems. The average indoor temperature measured during the study period was 30.5°C (range: 22.9–38.3°C) and that of ambient temperature was 30.6°C (range: 24.6–36.3°C). BT significantly increased with indoor and outdoor temperatures. The effect on BT was greater in elderly women and the elderly with hypertension. DBP generally decreased with increasing indoor temperature, though the correlation was only statistically significant among the elderly with hypertension. Only 22 (21.2%) individuals used air conditioners during the heat wave. Most did not use an air conditioner mainly to avoid high electricity costs. Of the participants, 58.7% reported experiencing sleep disturbance, which was the most frequent self-reported health problem. Elderly individuals living in rural areas are directly exposed to high temperatures during heat waves, and their vital signs are sensitive to increases in indoor temperature due to poor adaptation capacity. Well-designed strategies for alleviating health-related stress during heat waves are necessary.

This study investigated the risk of heatwaves for people with disabilities and other socioeconomic attributes using Health Care Bigdata in South Korea. The Health Care Bigdata provides detailed information on heat-related illness (HRI) patients in 2011–2020 from seven major cities. We employed the Distributed Lag Nonlinear Model (DLNM) to measure heat waves' relative risk. Our findings are four-fold. First, the relative risk (RR) of disabled people was 5.075 (95% confidence interval 4.476–5.674), significantly surpassing that of non-disabled people, 3.296 (2.517–4.075). Second, among various personal characteristics studied, disability influenced RR the most, exceeding impacts from elderly (4.457: 3.748–5.166), low-income (3.909: 3.004–4.813), and outdoor (4.052: 2.940–5.164). Third, the disabled young group (5.305: 4.414–6.195) was more vulnerable than the non-disabled elderly group (4.287: 3.576–4.999). Lastly, no significant difference in relative risk was observed between the mild (4.413: 3.855–4.971) and severe disabled groups (4.013: 3.121–4.905).

This study attempted to analyze the characteristics of heatwave damage in Gurye-gun and Sunchang-gun in 2018, at the height of a severe heatwave, and to identify detailed heatwave-vulnerable areas through spatial analysis. Data were assembled in units of aggregation zones for detailed spatial analysis. Shadow patterns, Sky view factor (SVF), and average radiation temperature distributions of 5m resolution were calculated using a solar radiation model for high-resolution thermal environment analysis. Individuals, environments, diseases, and weather factors that can affect heat wave damage were analyzed in units of census, and variables with spatial autocorrelation for Gurye-gun and Sunchang-gun were extracted through the model of Global Moran

Understanding long-term changes in mammal communities is essential for evaluating ecosystem dynamics under large-scale environmental transformation. This study analyzed nationwide data from the 3rd (2006–2013), 4th (2014–2018), and 5th (2019–2023) National Ecosystem Surveys to assess temporal shifts in the abundance and dominance structure of medium- and large-sized mammals across the Korean Peninsula. Using standardized survey data, we compared changes in detection frequency, dominance rank, and diversity indices among survey phases. Results revealed a significant restructuring of dominance from the 3rd to 4th survey, followed by stabilization in the 5th phase, indicating a gradual simplification of community structure. The water deer remained the most dominant species throughout all surveys, while the wild boar showed a consistent increase in relative frequency. In contrast, smaller or specialist species such as the Korean hare exhibited notable declines. These patterns correspond to ecological changes driven by forest recovery and the absence of apex predators, which have facilitated the proliferation of adaptable generalist species. The findings suggest that ongoing habitat recovery, though beneficial for biomass and productivity, may simultaneously reduce functional diversity and community balance. This study highlights the value of long-term, standardized monitoring for identifying structural transitions in wildlife communities and understanding their broader implications for biodiversity conservation on the Korean Peninsula.

한국항공운항학회지(Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics)