Climate change and health

Climate change and health

Introduction

Climate change is the overtime difference of either planet earth’s global climate or regional climates. It is all the abnormal climate variations and their impacts on earth. Also, it is any long-term change in a region or entire earth weather patterns for over a considerably long duration. Climate changes may be warmer or cooler and entail global warming and cooling. Climate change effects include variations in temperature, precipitation, rising sea level, and frequency of risky weather events.  Climate change might be caused by human activities, processes inside the earth, and outside forces like sunlight intensity variations.

Climate change does not only cause problems in the earth’s health but also for human health. Its effects and remedies vary by gender, age, social, economic status, and geography. Even though climate change brings about a few localized benefits like a decrease of winter death is temperate regions, and improved food production, its impacts on health are devastating. It affects human heath environmental and social determinants like clean air, secure shelter, and clean drinking water.

There are variations in climate changes on human health. The health of different communities and people is significantly influenced by exposure to hazards. The change affects human health in two major ways. The first is through changing the harshness of health conditions that are affected by climate and weather variations. Secondly is the creation of health threats and problems in regions where they did not exist.

Effects on air quality

Climatic changes affect air breathed indoors and outdoors. Air quality can be worsened by weather patterns variations leading to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses like asthma. Wild (forest) fires emit smoke and other pollutants to the earth’s atmosphere. Warmer weather and increasing carbon (IV) oxide levels lead to airborne allergies like ragweed pollen.

According to scientists’ warmer temperatures as a result of climate change will increase harmful air pollutants, smog component, and the frequency of days with unhealthy ground-level ozone levels. Individuals exposed to high ground ozone levels are at great risk of either premature death or respiratory problems (World, 2018). Ground-level ozone can cause damage to human lung tissue, inflame airways, or hinder lung functioning normally. Damage of lung leads to lung diseases like asthma, among others. Ground-level ozone is a risk factor to outdoor workers, older adults, children, and asthma patient’s health. The formation of ozone is increased by warm and stagnant air, which is likely to occur due to climate change. Increment of ground-level ozone level contributes to a rise of days with substandard air quality. The increase in air pollution at a constant rate will lead to ozone layer depletion and subsequent illnesses and deaths.

An estimate of the one-third American population is affected by allergic illnesses like hay fever. Furthermore, there are at least thirty-four million Americans who have been detected with asthma. Climatic change can impact human respiratory health and allergies (World, 2018). Climate change has led to the occurrence of spring pollen season as well as the extension of season for some highly allergic plants like ragweed, which has prolonged respiratory health problems. Additionally, allergic plans can flower early and more flowers due to the increment of carbon (IV) oxide and temperatures.

Climate change leads to particulate matter variations. Particulate matter is the suspension of very small liquid droplets and particles in the atmosphere. Some particles like dust and sea spray occur naturally, whereas others are produced by human activities like during the combustion of fossil fuels. Particulate matter may be formed directly in the atmosphere or be produced indirectly during chemical reactions of gaseous organic compounds, nitrogen (IV) oxide, and sulfur (IV) oxide. Human health is adversely affected by inhalation of very fine particles and may cause diseases like cardiovascular disease, and lung cancer. The health of older people is more affected by exposure to harmful fine particles.

Effects of extreme weather on health

Human health is at risk during and after the occurrence of extreme events such as droughts, storms, precipitation, and flooding. The most vulnerable people include older adults, children, the poor, and disabled people. These climatic changes affect human health in the following ways (US EPA, 2018);

• Destruction essential amenities like bridges, roads, pharmacies, and hospitals.
• Interrupting utility, communication, and health care services.
• Lowering the availability of safe drinking water and food.
• Inappropriate usage of portable electric generators during storms contributes to carbon (IV) oxide poisoning.
• Extreme events worsen and cause mental health conditions like PTSD (post-traumatic event disorder) and depressions.
• Intestinal and stomach illness are increased, especially after power outages.

Furthermore, evacuations expose old people, especially those with mobility limitations, to health risks. Emergencies are complicated by the need for medical records transfer, medical equipment, and medications.

Vector-borne disease infection patterns

Extreme weather events can lead to vector-borne diseases. These are diseases that are transmitted by vectors like ticks, fleas, and mosquitos. Commonly vectors carry disease-causing microorganisms like bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. The geographic range of vector spreading diseases is increased by changes in climatic factors like precipitation and temperatures. This contributes to the increased occurrence of vector spread diseases like malaria and bilharzia (Tabbabi, 2018).  For example, mosquitos bloom in climatic certain climatic conditions and can transmit diseases to humans. The number and location of mosquitos are influenced by extreme temperatures like wet, hot, dry, and cold. Ticks that transmit Lyme disease are influenced by temperature conditions. The ticks are active when temperatures rise, and their range expands. Malaria disease is strongly affected by climate change. Malaria is spread by the anopheles mosquito vector. Globally, malarial causes over 400,000 annual deaths where most of them are experienced in the Africa continent and involves under five years children.

However, climatic is not the sole factor that influences the spread of diseases. The spread of vector diseases is influenced by non-climatic factors like cultural conditions, land use, and social, economic factors.

Water-related diseases

Human health is impacted when they are exposed to contamination of both recreational and drinking water. The risk of illness is increasing through temperature rise, storms, and unfavorably heavy rains. These factors may lead to gastrointestinal illnesses such as diarrhea, damage to liver and kidney, and respiratory and nervous system health problems. Water temperature changes make waterborne bacteria and harmful toxins to be in water throughout the year or where they were not originally present. Therefore, climate change can expose people to waterborne disease-causing microorganisms. Extreme precipitation, storm, and hurricane rainfall may lead to contamination of water bodies through increased runoff and flooding. Moreover, water infrastructure capacity can be damaged by either storm surges or extreme weather events. Therefore, the risk of exposure to water contamination is increased. Exposure to water contaminated water occurs through direct contact, inhalation, and ingestion.

Mental health

Serious mental health effects can arise due to changes in a person’s physical environment. For example, stress is caused by devastating climate change like during droughts. People with mental illness are vulnerable to high temperatures, which can lead to their death. Climate change mental health impacts range from minor stress as well as distress to clinical conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety (Ballester, 2019). Mental patients under medication find it difficult to regulate their temperatures, especially when there is prolonged intense heat. Groups of people, such as children, pregnant women, post-partum women, and older adults, are at high health risks. The other mental health impacts our daily life experiences and perceptions of people who are trying to understand and respond to climate change and related impacts. These effects do not occur in isolation but with other social, environmental factors.

Food safety, security, and nutrition

Nutrition and food safety are greatly affected by climate change due to atmospheric carbon (IV) oxide concentrations. Additionally, food distribution is disrupted by extreme weather events. Events such as drought and flooding make food distribution difficult in situations where there is the destruction of waterways and roads. High atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is beneficial to some plants that utilize it as fertilizer. However, the levels of protein content are, and other essential minerals are lowered in some food crops like potatoes, wheat, and rice, which lowers their nutritional value. Climatic change can lead to several factors that result in exposing food to chemical contaminations. For instance, seafood is contaminated due to high mercury concentrations resulting from a rise if sea surface temperatures. Also, seafood is contaminated by runoff due to extreme weather events. A rise in air temperatures may cause bacterial food poisoning due to rapid bacterial growth (Khan, 2018). Bacterial food poisoning affects heath through gastrointestinal distress.

Precipitation, temperature changes, floods, and droughts influence agricultural production and yield. These affect food security and can lead to malnutrition, food poisoning, and transmission of infectious diseases. Crop decline may lead to hunger, a rise in food prices, and hunger. These effects commonly affect the vulnerable population in developing countries. Developed countries like the United States are indirectly affected by heath decline in developing countries through immigration, migration, and trade.

Temperature related effects

Average warmer temperatures result in hotter days as well as prolonged and frequent heatwaves. This contributes to an increase in deaths associated with heat, especially during summer. These deaths can be reduced through broader usage of air conditioning. Exposure of people to extreme heat can cause health problems that include dehydration, heatstroke, and respiratory, cerebrovascular, and cardiovascular diseases. Increment of ozone levels are increased by high temperatures and can negatively affect human health by causing diseases. Moreover, aeroallergen levels are high in regions with extreme heat. According to WHO, in Europe, there were more than 70 excess deaths during the 2003 summer heatwave (World, 2018).

People in northern latitudes are more likely to be affected by high temperatures since their bodies are less prepared. Furthermore, there is a particular population that is more vulnerable to tan others. For instance, student-athletes, homeless people, and outdoor workers spend a lot of time outdoors and are more exposed. On the other hand, older adults and low-income households tend to lack exposure (Tukuitonga, 2018). Additionally, urban areas are warmer than rural places. In the future, it is projected that urban populations will be more vulnerable to health impacts related to heat.

Populations of concern

There are some groups of people who are vulnerable to climate change health risks than others. The vulnerability is created by sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity factors (US EPA, 2018). Sensitivity is the rate at which individuals are impacted by a climatic stressor. Exposure means contact between a person and a climatic factor. Adaptive ability is the ability of a person to adjust to climatic change and avoid potential health impacts.

Children are vulnerable to several heath threats because they are biologically sensitive and more exposed (Cousins, 2019). An old people group is vulnerable to influences climate change. This is because old people are more sensitive to contaminants, heat, and most have pre-existing medical problems. Disabled people are more vulnerable, especially during extreme weather events like floods. Occupational groups like firefighters and outdoor workers are vulnerable when exposed to extreme heat and vector-borne diseases. Patients with chronic diseases are vulnerable to climate change, like in extreme heat. Moreover, immigrants, low income, and people of color are vulnerable to climate change to various factors. These factors are educational factors, medical conditions, socioeconomic conditions, and high exposure risks.

Conclusion

Vulnerability to climate change differs among people due to diverse sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity to respond to health risks. It varies across different geographical locations, communities, and individuals. Additionally, people’s sensitivity changes at different stages in their lifespan. For instance, children and elderly people are more sensitive to heath impacts climate changes than other groups. Climate change impacts people heath by mainly affecting their exposure, adaptive capacity, and sensitivity.

References

Ballester, J. (2019). Will climate change worsen your health? Climanosco Research Articles, 2. https://doi.org/10.37207/cra.2.3

Cousins, S. (2019). Extreme weather events and child health. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 3(2), 70–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2352-4642(18)30410-3

Khan, I. (2018a). Climate Change Is a Threat toward Agronomy (Base of Food, Fiber System), and Food Security. Food & Nutrition Journal, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.29011/2575-7091.100060

Khan, I. (2018b). Climate Change Is Threat toward Agronomy (Base of Food, Fiber System), and Food Security. Food & Nutrition Journal, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.29011/2575-7091.100060

Tabbabi, A. (2018). Impacts of climate change on vector borne diseases. MOJ Ecology & Environmental Sciences, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.15406/mojes.2018.03.00102

Tukuitonga, C. (2018). The Health Impacts of Climate Change. Pacific Health Dialog, 21(2), 52–53. https://doi.org/10.26635/phd.2018.920

US EPA, O. (2018). Climate Impacts on Human Health. 19january2017snapshot.Epa.Gov. https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-impacts/climate-impacts-human-health_.html#ref1

World. (2018, February). Climate change and health. Who.Int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health

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