9B.3
A NEW DIMENSION IN HUMAN BIOMETEOROLOGY- THE ONE-ON-ONE APPROACH

Dennis M. Driscoll, Texas A&M Univ, College Station, TX

Studies in empirical, or statistical human biometeorology usually link the weather as recorded at a particular observing station to some aspect of mortality or morbidity in a collective of individuals, e.g., city, clinic, nursing home or hospital. One of the difficulties with this approach is that not all people respond to provocations by the weather, either because of their physiological constitution or because they are not exposed to, or aware of, outdoor weather conditions for a length of time sufficient to be influenced by them.

This suggests that a fruitfull field of study might be of those persons who are meteorotropic, even if only self-proclaimed. The elusive "physical transfer mechanism," the pathophysiological link between the physical environment and disfunction, might be better elaborated this way.

My recent experience with a few individuals who claim to be weather-sensitive has revealed some aspects of how to proceed with such studies. These are discussed, and suggestions are made for pursuing this new dimension in human biometeorology.

The Second Symposium on Urban Environment