Understanding the Health Consequences of Climate Change: What You Need to Know
Climate change caused by human activities is no longer a future problem but the current state in which the human health is affected. In addition to the more obvious effects such as sea level rise and more frequent and severe storms, climate change is quietly and progressively changing the basic requirements for human survival, including the quality of the air we breathe, amount and availability of water, and food sources, and prevalence of diseases. Familiarizing with the interactions between climate change and health, or more specifically health consequences that climate change is very important for the effective protection of people and populations from these risks that are increasing every year.
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How Climate Change Is Affecting Our Health: Facts You Need to Know?
We often overlook climate change and fail to take the necessary action to prevent it. At times, we may be fatigued and overwhelmed by other concerns, or perhaps we don’t hold the conviction that even the smallest effort can make a significant difference. A lot of people aren’t really concerned about climate change because they treat it as something distant, alien, and mildly possible somewhere in the future. However, it is already happening—tectonic shifts in climate affect our health.
Let’s explore the intricate connection between health and environment—you might be astonished by the significant impact of climate on our lives.
Who Is Most at Risk?
If you never thought to stop global warming, think of the dangers it brings. This phenomenon is called climate change when Earth’s weather patterns shift over several decades. The most recent climatic shifts are mostly human’s fault. Unless we do something to reverse climate change, it will wreak havoc on our state, our country and our entire planet. This is an urgent issue which impacts all levels of society, the international, the local and even the individual level.
So, who is most at risk when talking about drastic effects of climate change. For instance,
- Children are more vulnerable to heat exhaustion and dehydration, air pollution and wildfire smoke than adults. Their immune systems are still maturing, so they are more likely to become ill. Children often rely on adults during times of crisis to stay safe and help get on the road to recovery.
- Pregnant women are more susceptible to heat stress due to the physiological demands of pregnancy during heatwaves. They and their unborn children can be harmed by smoke from wildfires and other sources of air pollution.
- Older people and those with established health problems and health disparities are at higher risk for heat exhaustion, infections, dehydration, and increased risk for worsening lung and heart diseases.
- People living in rural and remote areas, and other disadvantaged groups are disproportionally affected by underlying health inequalities and lack of access to health care and other services. Ecosystems and those living in coastal areas, rural areas or inaccessible areas are particularly threatened by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes and rising sea levels.
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Temperature-Related Impacts
Hotter days and longer heat waves are the results of warmer average temperatures. Because of these changes, the number of Americans killed each year by heat waves could rise by the thousands to tens of thousands by the end of the century, especially in the summer. Despite a predicted decrease in cold-related deaths throughout the winter, these fatalities will still occur. We anticipate adaptive actions, such as increased air conditioner use, to mitigate the predicted spikes in heat-related fatalities.
Heat stroke, dehydration, heart illness, lung disease, and brain damage are all possible outcomes of prolonged exposure to high temperatures and extreme weather. Heat waves are particularly deadly for populations in northern latitudes, which lack sufficient resources to prepare for extreme weather. The general population is less likely to be in direct contact with the scorching heat than are those who work outside, play sports on campus, or are homeless.
Additionally, low-income residents can’t afford air conditioning making them vulnerable to heat waves. In addition, some people have a harder time regulating their body temperature than others, including small children, pregnant women, older people, and those with certain medical issues.
Air Quality Impacts
Climate change affects outdoor and indoor air quality. Air pollution can be caused by warmer temperatures and changing weather patterns, and could make asthma attacks and other respiratory and cardiovascular health problems worse. Together with these climatic changes, the quantity and intensity of wildfires will increase, and the smoke and the other air pollutants they generate will be dangerous for human health. Increasing amounts of carbon dioxide and warmer temperatures change how ragweed pollen and other airborne allergens affect air pollution maps.
Extreme Weather Events
Extreme precipitation, flooding and droughts, and storms already threaten human health both during and after the event, and are becoming more frequent and intense. The most vulnerable are children, older people, those with physical or mental impairment and the economically disadvantaged.
Older people are also more susceptible to the health issues that are related to emergency evacuations, such as those who cannot use elevators in an event of a power outage because of mobility issues. Evacuations could become more complicated if medical records, drugs and equipment were simultaneously transferred. Some people with disabilities may have trouble understanding or hearing signals of imminent danger, communicating their needs, or reaching evacuation routes, and so may be disproportionately affected.
Vectorborne Diseases
Disease vectors, such as fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, are responsible for transmitting vector-borne and respiratory diseases. These vectors can transmit pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa from animals to humans. The geographic range of vector-borne diseases expands in response to climate change, harsh weather, and other climatic extremes, and these factors might cause infections to manifest earlier in the year.
Land use, social and cultural factors, pest management, health care availability, human reactions to disease risk, and climate are all non-climate variables that might affect the spread of climate-sensitive diseases. The public health system in the US is well-equipped to track, control, and avert the spread of various illnesses. Developing nations often lack the resources to adequately address health concerns, making them more vulnerable to climate-related illnesses.
The Bottom Line
There are further connections between human health and climate change. For instance, agricultural output and harvests will be impacted by variations in precipitation and temperature, as well as by droughts and floods. These effects may endanger human health in certain parts of the world by lowering food security and increasing the risk of hunger, infectious disease transmission, and food poisoning. The most susceptible people in poor nations will likely feel the brunt of these consequences. Also, trade, migration, and immigration all contribute to global health declines, which in turn affect a country’s security. So, you should never underestimate the impact of climate change on health and take all necessary precautions!
And tackling the health consequences of climate change requires a multi-faceted approach. Individual actions such as reducing our carbon footprint matter, however, changes at local, and national, and global levels are also needed. Investment in climate resilient healthcare systems, policy to reduce greenhouse gases, development of early warning systems for extreme weather events and promotion of public awareness of health risks of climate change are among the priorities. When we recognize the fine line between climate and health, and act swiftly, we have the power to prevent the worst outcomes and protect the health of today and tomorrow.