Climate Change

A Human Health Perspective

A Student Exploration of the Impacts of Climate
Change on Human Health in the United States
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

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List the impact(s) of a warming climate on human
health.

The colors on the map show temperature changes over the past 22 years (1991-2012)
compared to the 1901-1960 average for the contiguous U.S., and to the 1951-1980 average
for Alaska and Hawai'i.

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List the impact(s) of a wetter climate on human health
and of a drier climate on human health.

The colors on the map show annual total precipitation

changes for 1991-2012 compared to the 1901-1960
average, and show wetter conditions in most areas.
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US Climate Resilience Toolkit
• To be used on slides where the header is not desired.

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Visual Model | Cause-effect

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Visual Model | Cause-effect

Exposure pathway

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Flooding

Some individuals and groups may be more vulnerable to

water-borne infection as a result of floodwaters.

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 Directions
READ your assigned impact section:
Group 1 – Temperature-related impacts (chapter 2)
Group 2 – Air Quality impacts (chapter 3)
Group 3 – Impacts from extreme events (chapter 4)
Group 4 – Vector-borne disease impacts (chapter 5)
Group 5 – Water-related impacts (chapter 6)

Group 6 – Impacts to food (chapter 7)

Group 7 – Impacts to mental health (chapter 8)

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Student Graphic Organizer

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Climate change flow chart

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 Climate Exposure pathway Health Outcomes
Exposure pathway
Driver
Increased AIR
worksheet
temperatures
Environmental Condition Hazard

Decreased AIR
temperatures
Changing
Temperature Increased
WATER
temperatures

Decreased
WATER
temperatures

Increased
precipitation
Changing
Precipitation
Decreased
precipitation

Extreme
Changing weather events

weather
patterns Changes in
cloud cover,
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humidity, winds U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 Climate Exposure pathway Health Outcomes
One Environmental
Driver
Increased AIR
Condition can lead to multiple
Environmental Condition Hazard
health outcomes
temperatures

Decreased AIR
temperatures
Changing
Temperature Increased
WATER Increased mold Asthma &
temperatures Allergies
Decreased
WATER
High waters
temperatures

Water-related
Increased Increase in nutrient Infection
precipitation Flooding runoff
Changing
Precipitation Drowning &
Decreased Disruptions to Injury
precipitation infrastructure

Contaminated water
Food-related
Extreme Infection
Changing weather events

weather One environmental condition can lead to

Stress-related
patterns Changes in multiple health outcomes
disorders
cloud cover,
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humidity, winds U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 Climate Exposure pathway Health Outcomes
Sample model
Driver Prolonged
exposure to heat Heat-related
Elevated air Increased ground- illness and death
temperature level ozone
Increased AIR
temperatures Increased Cardiovascular
Longer growing
Changing season particulate matter illness & death
Temperature Increased
WATER
temperatures Elevated water Increase in mold
Asthma & Allergies;
temperature
respiratory illness
Increase in nutrient
Earlier spring runoff
Increased
Water-related
Changing precipitation High waters Infection
Flooding
Precipitation Drowning & Injury
Decreased Increased dust
precipitation Drought
Vector-borne
Increased pollen Infection
Wildfires &
smoke
Disruptions to
Changing infrastructure Food-related
Extreme Hurricanes
weather Infection
weather events and storms
patterns Expanded tick
activity Stress-related
disorders
Increased growth National Institutes of Health
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of pathogens
 Climate Change| A Human Health Perspective

Climate Change
Δ Temperature Human Health Effects
Vector borne
Δ Precipitation Cardiovascular and Heat related illness
infection
respiratory illness and death
Water-related
Δ Humidity Weather-related Mental health and infection
injury and death Stress-related disorders Food-related
infection
Δ Weather patterns

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Mitigation strategies

Actions we can take

to reduce the severity
of climate change by
reducing greenhouse
gas emissions.

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Adaptation strategies

Actions we can take

to reduce our
risk/vulnerability to
climate impacts.

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services