The study examined hospitalizations for alcohol and substance use in New York state from 1995 to 2014. The study found hospitalizations for alcohol use increased by 24.6 percent up to the 75th percentile of temperatures above the minimum temperature during the time period, or 65.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
For substance use disorders, rising temperatures were correlated with higher rates of hospitalization up to the 50th percentile, or 50.7 degrees Fahrenheit, but not beyond.
“Our findings suggest that rising temperatures, including those caused by climate change, may influence hospital visits for alcohol and other drugs, emphasizing the need for appropriate and proportionate social and health interventions, as well as highlighting potential hidden burdens of climate change,” the study’s authors wrote.
The study was written by researchers at Columbia University in New York City. Read the full study here.
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