Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives: Assessing  human bioclimatic is foundation for many programs and plans, especially in the field of healthcare. In this study, human thermal comfort and its relationship with the incidence of diseases were investigated in Kurdistan province.

Materials and Method: The daily data of temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and cloudiness between the years 1995-2014 were used. In the First step, Tmrt parameter was calculated in the Ray Man software environment. Then, UTCI index values were calculated using Bioklima software. In the final step, the climatic comfort zones were drawn in the ArcMap software.

Results: It was found that the UTCI values change from 20 to -23. Bijar and Zarrineh stations have the highest cold stress conditions. The calculated values showed that severe cold stress conditions prevail in most parts of the province almost throughout the year. The correlation coefficient values showed that the highest correlation with the height was observed in the cold months of the year (December- February). The results of UTCI zoning also showed that the central parts of the province consistent with the higher altitude areas had severe stress conditions.

Conclusion: The research showed that the province is faced with moderate to severe stresses in terms of human stress conditions. In the cold periods of the year, it will be more severe and more cold conditions are experienced in high places.

Background and Objectives: Nowadays, indicators related to human physiology have special roles in human bioclimatic and environmental studies. One of these indices is Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). In the present study, trends of physiological equivalent temperature index over the past half century, which is the foundation of plans, especially in the field of health and environment, were evaluated in four climatic regions of Iran (Mashhad, Rasht, Esfahan, Tabriz and Bandar Abbas).

Material and methods: In this study, the data required to calculate the heat stress in the daily scale for 50 years during 1961-2010 were obtained from Iranian Meteorological Organization. Then, PET index at the daily scale was calculated and values greater than 35°C were identified for warm periods of the year. In the next step, the seasonal trends were analyzed by Mann-Kendall test.

Results: Changes in the frequency of days with heat stress in stations of Mashhad, Isfahan, and Tabriz have been rising during spring and summer. In other words, the greatest amount of positive change has occurred over the long-term average in these cities. The highest frequency of hot days was observed in Rasht and Bandar Abbas stations. The main reason for this subject has to do with how adjacent they were to the sea and the high rate of evaporation in such areas.

Conclusion: The 1980s-1990s have been allocated as the most days of hot stress. Upward trend of thermal stress occurring in the studied stations has increased the attention to the problem of heat stress and disease (thermal attack, fainting, muscle cramps) from the field of planning and management of the crisis.