The Impact of Climate Change Issues on Our Health
Climate change is already hurting billions of people, according to a recent United Nations assessment. Biological and ecological systems are under stress. Natural calamities are becoming more often as temperatures rise. Animals are in danger of extinction. And the repercussions of climate change are manifesting themselves faster than previously imagined.
Climate change is also a threat to our health. Climate change's health implications include, but are not limited to, increased respiratory diseases and allergies, increased infectious diseases, and exacerbated mental health disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here's a closer look at how climate change is creating these health issues.
1. A rise in the number of pandemics.
"Warmer temperatures boost mosquito counts, especially if there is moisture in the air," says Dennis Cunningham, M.D., medical director of infection prevention and control at Henry Ford Health. "To name a few ailments, mosquitoes transfer parasites (malaria), bacteria (Lyme disease), and viruses (Powassan virus)."
While mosquitos in the United States normally do not live long enough to transmit disease through bites, he believes that rising temperatures make this conceivable. Flooding also contributes to increased mosquito populations, potentially increasing the likelihood of disease transmission.
Another major reason for a potential increase in pandemics is deforestation. “When animals in previously remote areas need to relocate because of loss of habitat, they look for new homes and may come into contact with people, increasing the likelihood of zoonosis, or disease that spreads from animals to humans,” says Dr. Cunningham. This, in fact, is one of the theories as to how the COVID-19 pandemic began.
2. An increase in mental health problems.
"We don't yet understand the whole impact of climate change on mental health," says Cathrine Frank, M.D., a psychiatrist at Henry Ford Health. "But we do know that climate change and weather disasters induce worry and may exacerbate chronic mental illness." "Floods, severe snowstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and droughts can all contribute to anxiety, PTSD, and depression." This is due not just to the pain and loss involved with major calamities, but also to the difficulty in obtaining mental health care during such turmoil."
Poor access to mental health services is already a national concern, she continues, and following a natural disaster, the demand for mental health services rises and overwhelms an already overburdened mental health system. Extreme weather events have also been associated with increases in aggressive behavior, domestic violence and substance abuse.
3. An increase in allergies.
If you've seen an increase in the severity of your allergies, it's most likely not your imagination. "Climate change might increase the pollen season of trees, grasses, and weeds, which are typical allergy triggers," says Rana Misiak, M.D., a Henry Ford Health allergist and immunologist. "These plants may produce more pollen, leading to higher allergy symptoms."
4. Asthma, respiratory problems, and cancer.
Wildfires are becoming more common as a result of record high temperatures and extended droughts. According to the CDC, wildfire smoke lowers air quality, which increases "respiratory and cardiovascular hospitalizations, emergency department visits, medication needs for asthma, bronchitis, chest pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and respiratory infections; and medical visits for lung illnesses."
Cancer is also caused by air pollution. "Hydrocarbons from gasoline combustion are obviously connected with lymphoma and leukemia," says Haythem Ali, M.D., a Henry Ford Health medical oncologist. "Unless you can travel back to the eighteenth century, it is nearly difficult to avoid pollution." Social activism is important—support those who work to protect the environment."
