Key Issues
“Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the twenty-first century.”
– The Lancet
Health Effects
These key issues lead to a rise in associated health effects
Cardiovascular
Increases in ambient temperatures are associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. For example, heart attacks have been associated with heat events.
Additionally, poor air quality increases the chance of cardiac death by 15% and also leads to increased emergency department presentations for cardiovascular complaints, arrhythmias, and ischemic heart disease.
Pregnancy
Heat exposure is associated with preterm birth and dangerous elevations in blood pressure during pregnancy.
Poor air quality is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes, including stillbirth, intrauterine growth restrictions, and congenital defects.
Respiratory
Climate change has increased the allergy season, especially for ragweed and pollen. Additionally, wildfire smoke is associated with a surge in respiratory medical complaints.
Fine particulate matter increases ED utilization for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and allergies are all affected by the climate crisis.
Infectious Disease
Both waterborne and vector-borne diseases have been linked with the climate crisis. Waterborne gastrointestinal disease, typically related to food or water contamination, have significantly increased as a result of warming sea temperatures and heavier rainfalls.
Diseases spread by insects, such as ticks and mosquitos, have increased range due to the climate crisis. Warmer temperatures mean increased range of mosquitos and with it the spread of the diseases they carry. The same is true with tick borne diseases such as Lyme disease.
Neurologic
Acute ischemic stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and is also more common during heat waves. Extreme ambient temperatures also induce neurological impairment.
Increased fine particulate matter increases the risk of ischemic stroke and has been associated with dementia. Increased temperatures also exacerbate symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
Heatwaves
During the past 15 years, there has been an increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves. There is a clear association between heat exposure and mortality, particularly among the most physiologically and socioeconomically vulnerable. Heat waves and even small increases in average temperature are followed by exacerbations in health conditions, including chronic renal, cardiovascular, and pulmonary disease.
Trauma
Increasing daily temperatures are associated with the frequency of trauma presentations and admissions. There is also evidence of a relationship between temperature, aggression, and crime.
Additionally, extreme weather events, which are becoming more common due to the climate crisis, lead to more traumatic injuries, many of which are fatal.
Mental Health
Climate-related disasters result in forced displacement and loss of livelihood as well as community stability. These effects increase the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
Warmer temperatures are also associated with increased emergency department visits for acute psychiatric illness, particularly schizophrenia.