The problem of global warming has become one of the most severe challenges for humanity in the twenty-first century. Human-caused climate change significantly impacts the ecological situation and many areas of human life, such as health care. In its 2022 policy brief presented at the Stockholm+50 conference, the WHO stated that global warming poses significant risks to mental health and well-being (Baste & Watson, 2022). In addition, along with climate change, medicine will have to deal with the consequences of extreme weather events, the spread of previously uncharacteristic tropical diseases, and famine. Developing a strategy to reduce such adverse effects of global warming is one of the main priorities of modern healthcare.
Mental disorders are the first category of diseases with increasing risk. It has been demonstrated that rapidly accelerating climate change is a growing threat to mental health and psychosocial well-being, causing a wide range of disorders ranging from emotional distress to anxiety, depression, sadness, and suicidal behavior (Hayes, et al., 2018). However, climate change is affecting many social determinants, already leading to a massive burden of mental health disorders worldwide.
As global climate change continues, people in many areas are at increased risk of exposure to vector-borne diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus, and dengue fever. Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes that breed in certain climates. Warm temperatures and increased rainfall create conditions for the emergence of additional breeding sites for mosquitoes, as a result, which increases their population. In 2010 in the world, there were 216 million malaria cases with 655,000 deaths, the vast majority of which were in Africa (Dasgupta, 2018). Scientists are concerned about the increased risk of spreading waterborne diseases such as cholera and leptospirosis due to warmer temperatures, which can alter pathogen survival rates, combined with increased rainfall and flooding that mobilize pollutants (Lau et al., 2018). With an estimated annual incidence of 1,700,000 cases, 123,000 of which are fatal, leptospirosis is a complex and severe public health problem (Lau et al., 2018). During the last decade, there has been an increase in the reported number of leptospirosis outbreaks worldwide, mainly due to extreme weather events such as floods resulting from tropical cyclones (Lau et al., 2018). The sensitivity of the disease to specific environmental conditions suggests that climate change may influence the nature of the disease and the extent and intensity of its outbreaks.
Excess heat, especially during heat waves, contributes to body dehydration, exacerbates chronic lung and heart failure, especially when combined with air pollution, and can lead to heat exhaustion, heat shock, and even death. Climate is the most critical factor determining the timing of pollen transfer through the air and its type. Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of allergies and asthma caused by airborne allergens has quadrupled in Europe and is estimated to affect 15–40% of the population (World Health Organization, 2022). According to the WHO (2022), about 262 million people worldwide currently have asthma, costing billions of dollars. Pollen forecasts are becoming increasingly popular as they help people plan their daily routines and prepare appropriate medications. Sand and dust storms cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems and are associated with meningitis in Africa.
Understanding the relationship between climate and health is the basis for taking protective action against climate-related health risks. One of the challenges for the health community is the ability to recognize, understand, interpret and apply available climate information. Drawing attention to this problem is very important both from the point of view of ecology and public health.
References
Baste, I. A., & Watson, R. T. (2022). Tackling the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies by making peace with nature 50 years after the Stockholm Conference. Global Environmental Change, 73, 102466.
Hayes, K., Blashki, G., Wiseman, J., Burke, S., & Reifels, L. (2018). Climate change and mental health: Risks, impacts and priority actions. International journal of mental health systems, 12(1), 1-12.
Dasgupta, S. (2018). Burden of climate change on malaria mortality. International journal of hygiene and environmental health, 221(5), 782-791.
Lau, C. L., Townell, N., Stephenson, E., & Craig, S. B. (2018). Leptospirosis: An important zoonosis acquired through work, play and travel. Australian Journal of General Practice, 47(3), 105-110.
World Health Organization. (2022). Asthma [Fact Sheet]. Web.