Global health risks and burden associated with tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones (TCs), including hurricanes, typhoons and tropical storms, are devastating climate extremes that caused the greatest economic losses. With continued global warming and expanding coastal populations, TCs remain an important public health concern. However, despite widespread recognition of their hazards, the health impacts of TCs are not well quantified across countries and regions, especially for their effects beyond the direct casualties (e.g., persistent elevated mortality risks driven by prolonged TC-induced disruptions). This thesis quantified and characterized the health risks and burdens of TCs on a global and multi-country scale, including the length of risk periods following TCs, the magnitude of the health risks of TCs with different characteristics, the most vulnerable population and the varying disease risks after TCs.