Climate Change and Health

Building Resilience through Data

Management and Information for
Decision Making

Abbigail Liverpool
Principal Environmental Health Officer
Ministry of Public Health
 What is Climate Change?

Climate Change
– Is changes in Earth's climate system which result
in new weather patterns that remain in place for
an extended period of time.
 What is Health?

Health
– is a state of physical, mental and social well-being
in which disease and infirmity are absent.
Who is vulnerable to Climate Change?

• Children
• Elderly
• Pregnant women
 Who is vulnerable to Climate Change?

• Persons with disability

• Pre-existing or
• chronic medical
conditions
 Who is vulnerable to Climate Change?

• Low income families

– People who in
communities which are
prone to disasters
 Who is vulnerable to Climate Change?

• Migrants and
indigenous population
The impacts of Climate Change on
Health
Direction impacts of climate change on
health

Drought
•Food shortage
•Malnutrition
•Diarrhoeal diseases
Direction impacts of climate change on
health
Floods
• Destruction of crops
• Shortage of food,
malnutrition
• Proliferation of vectors
(mosquitoes)
• Diarrhoeal diseases
Direction impacts of climate change on
health
Rising Temperatures
Extreme temperatures
(very hot days)
• Cardiovascular diseases (Heat
stroke)
• Respiratory diseases (Asthma)
• Respiratory allergies
Major health consequences of climate
changes
Extreme Weather Events –
hurricanes, floods
•Death & Injuries
•Outbreak of diseases (vector
borne diseases – dengue,
Cholera)
•Mental Health
HEALTH ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE
CHANGE
 Health Adaptation to Climate Change
• Reduction in the burden of climate sensitive diseases;
 Health Adaptation to Climate Change
• Reduction of the effect of climate change on
human health:
– Improving Basic Public Health and Health Care
Services
– Develop Health Adaptation Policies and Measures
– Develop Early Warning Systems
– Collaborate with other stakeholders in Health
Adaptation
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
DATA
 Environment & Public Health
Indicators
• Flood vulnerability
– Number of Square Miles Within Designated
Special Flood Hazard Area
– Percent Area (square miles) Within Designated
Special Flood Hazard Area
– Number of People Within Designated Special
Flood Hazard Area
– Number of Housing Units Within Designated
Special Flood Hazard Area
 Environment & Public Health
Indicators
Heat Vulnerability
Sensitivity
• Number of people in poverty
• Percent of people in poverty
• Median household income
• Percent of people with race
other than white
• Percent of developed land use
• Percent of forest canopy cover
• Percent of population age 65
years and older, living alone
• Age-adjusted rate of
hospitalization for heart attack
among persons 35 and over
per 10,000 population
• Rate of hospitalization for
heart disease among >= 65
years, over a particular period
• Age-adjusted, estimated
percent of adults >= 20 years
with diagnosed diabetes
 Environment & Public Health
Indicators
Heat Vulnerability
Exposure Adaptive Capacity
• Number of extreme heat
events • Number of hospitals
• Number of extreme heat • Number of hospitals per
days 100,000 population
• Number of hospital beds
• Number of hospital beds
per 10,000 population
 Environmental & Public Health
Indicators

Medical Infrastructure Temperature distribution

• Number of health facilities • Daily estimates of maximum

• Number of health facilities
which are climate resistant
• Number of medical
personnel
temperature for dry season
months (July-September)
• Daily estimates of maximum
heat index for dry season
months (July-September)
Thank you!!!!!!!!