Download Climate Change and Public Health

Climate Change
Impacts
A Local Public Health
Perspective
I. Vettoretti,
Environmental Health Specialist
Presentation Focus
 Local
CC scenarios
 Roles for Public Health
 SDHU CC Activities
 Making a Difference Now
Recent Canadian
Preoccupation
 …Canadians
believe climate change
poses a bigger threat to the "vital
interests" of this country over the next
decade than international terrorism…
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(Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute, 2009)
Hard Times for
Snowpeople Ahead !
Climate Change Definition
(Last, 2006)
… Long-term shift or trend from the usual
climate and weather pattern towards…
 warming
 climactic instability
 extreme heat /cold
 catastrophic weather events ….. such as
heat waves and floods
Brief History
1. Debate over whether climate change was
real, and
2. Whether human contributions have played
a major causal role in global warming.
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The Limits of Growth (Dennis Meadows,1972)
The Skeptical Environmentalist (Bjorn Lomborg,1998)
East Anglia University e- mail Climategate (2009)
Intergovernmental Panel on C.C. (IPCC, 2009)
Ontario Expert Climate Change Adaption Panel („09)-
(NOAA –Nat. Oceanic Atmosph. Admin., 2009)
(Mann 1998)
(IPCC 2009)
IPCC- predicts rise in
temperature may be as
high as 5.0ºC over the
next 50 to 75 years.
(IPCC 2009)
Northern Ontario
 50
1
years of warming since 40‟s and 50‟s
 In
to 1.5°C higher in next 50 years
100 years 4 to 5°C warmer
 Northern
 Heating
hemisphere warming overall
effect accelerating
(Hadley Model 2007; Vasseur 2007).
Why Public Health ?
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All 36 Ontario Boards of Health are required to
increase public awareness of health risk factors
associated with climate change (OPHS, 2009)
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Public Health Units are on the front line in their
communities, and along with family physicians
are uniquely positioned to reduce risks through
risk assessment, emergency planning,
education and public communication.
Why Contribute to Local Climate
Change Policy Initiatives
1. The impacts are large, increasing and
inequitably distributed;
2. People are concerned about the protection
of their own and their children‟s health and
are prepared to support mitigation policies;
3. Certain mitigation policies have significant
positive health „co-benefits‟, and these
should be quantified and promoted to
support mitigation arguments…
As Regulators
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Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS)
 Health Hazard Investigation, Emergency Response ..
SDHU’s Strategic Plan and Priorities
 Strengthen generation and use of evidence through
Passive and Active Surveillance (ie., Lyme
Disease,WNV and EEE) .
 Integration of program activities where Climate
Change is the driver( sun safety program, heat alerts
and cold advisories, emergency planning ,air quality
alerts and water quality information (BGA,beaches)
 Strengthen relationships with strategic partners
through agency-wide resource management .
As community partners
Since 2005 SDHU participated in a number of local initiatives with various
community partners:
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CCIARN Discussions. (Pearson, Sutcliffe, 2005) rep
Laurentian University Climate Impacts and Adaptation Study
(Vasseur et al., 2007) and –SDHU Community Health Sector Chair.
2008 MOHLTC Health Hazard Writing Team (CC Inclusion) .rep
Educate young students annually through our SDHU On Thin Ice
and Climate Change Justice Scale presentations.
North South Climate Change Network NSCCN (Ontario). rep
MOE Climate Change Directorate Proposal–PHU Comments
2010 NDCA Climate Change Consortium Partnership
2010-11 Placements for EH Professions and Physicians (NOSM )
Mainstreaming
 SDHU
supports…(B of H -2003)
“the integration of climate change
considerations into a range of policies,
programs, planning and decision making
processes…”
“an integrative CC management strategy”
Current Public Health Education
and Communication Efforts
 Heat
Advisories and Cold Weather Alerts*
 Extreme Weather Events-*
Emer.Response
 Infectious Diseases*enterics ,BGA- 7?
Vectorborne WNV,Lyme Disease -1 and
EEE ?
 Smog-Poor Air Quality Advisories*
 UV Radiation- Sun Safety *
Extreme Temperatures:
Heat Waves
CDC
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CDC
Most vulnerable populations:
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Elderly, young children
People living alone, socially
isolated, mentally ill
Socio-economically
disadvantaged
People lacking access to air
conditioning or cooling spaces
People with chronic diseases
People who work outside
People taking certain diuretic
medications
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Increase in heat related
illnesses and mortality:
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Heat cramps
Heat exhaustion
Heat stroke
CDC
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Increased Precipitation and Flooding
 Injuries and deaths
 Long term psychological and physical
effects
 Increased risk of infectious disease
 Mold
 Contaminated water supplies
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Increase in Wildfires
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Fires are a both a contributor and
consequence of climate change
Fire frequency is expected to
increase especially in areas with
reduced precipitation and drought
Increased air pollutants, fine
particulates (PM 10 and PM 2.5)
and ground-level ozone
Most vulnerable: elderly, children,
people with respiratory illnesses
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Increased Ozone and Poor Air Quality
Ben Amstutz, Flickr
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WHO, HCWH
Senor Codo, Flickr
Increased risk of ER visits and hospital admissions for
respiratory illness
Increased risk of asthma onset and exacerbations, cardiac
arrhythmias, myocardial infarction and total mortality
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Pollen and Natural Air Pollutants
Arvind Balaraman, freedigitalphotos.net
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Wikimedia Commons, Sue Sweeney
CDC
Freedigitalphotos.net, Yaron Jeroen van Oostrom
Wikimedia Commons
Increased temperatures and ground-level CO2 will increase
plant metabolisms and pollen production
Longer and earlier pollen seasons
Increase in allergic rhinitis and respiratory diseases such as
asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
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Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases
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Introduction and spread of new diseases
Increased geographical range and risk of
current diseases
Re-emergence of formerly prevalent diseases
Prolonged transmission cycles
Examples: Lyme disease, West Nile Virus,
EEE,Malaria, Tularemia, Rabies
CDC/ Wikimedia Commons
USDA
20
Who is most vulnerable ?
Most vulnerability exists with climate change
and poverty (Costello et al., 2009)
VULNERABLE …
 For
poor people it will be manifest in three
ways:
1. Exposure (spatial geography-air shed )
2. Sensitivity (location -urban verses
rural).
3. Adaptive capacity (Social Determinants
of Health relationship -education,
housing
income and health dependency ).
Other Direct and Indirect
Impacts
 Longer
growing seasons (food security +).
 Expected
decrease in heating needs (+)
more disposable income (+) but
increased costs for summer cooling (-).
 Less
availability of traditional diet for
indigenous community (-) and less
seasonal access (-). (roads, bridges)
Impacts cont‟d…
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Lower summer water levels : boating accidents (-) and
docking mishaps (-).
Water temperature increases : closure of beaches (-)
contaminants deterring swimmers (-),local recreation (+)
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Poor Weather : power outages = ice storms, high winds,
flooding and psychological impacts on seniors and
others vulnerable to anxiety(-).
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Warmer summer : quality/quantity of drinking water (-),
watering bans (-), heat waves = heat stress (-), air quality
issues for asthmatics (ie.,forest fires and pollen)
Impacts cont’d
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More slip-fall related injuries: (-) for
55+seniors…More ALC required for seniors
*Twenty five year trend for fall related emergency visits projected to
increase 65% (239 visits/yr ) from current trends(155 visits /yr) ;(King,
2011) Data sources are: Ambulatory Visits data [2003-2007], Population Estimates [2003-2007]
and Population Projections [2011-2031], Intellihealth Ontario, MOHLTC, extracted Sept 2009.
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Northern recreational pursuits …How many
accidents will be CC weather related from open
waters(-) …
Not just a concern for polar
bears !
 Adaptation
Suggestions !
Extreme Weather Events
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Provide information about risk of natural
disasters,ice storms ,flooding etc.
Publicize actions to take in preparation for
severe weather events
Weather advisories/warnings systems
Maintain public shelters/develop evacuation
plans
Maintain disaster preparedness (rapid response)
Infectious Diseases
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Educate residents, immigrants, travellers about
disease risks and avoidance , immunization
Surveillance of disease vectors, eliminate
disease vector breeding sites
Maintain standards for travel clinics/ laboratory
diagnosis
Develop new vaccines and drugs
Offer immunizations programs.
Smog
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Publicize actions and precautions to take during
smog events and identify those at risk(seniors)
Reduce exertion levels and energy consumption
(stay indoors and car pool)
Utilize air quality monitoring and advisory system
Improve public transit, reduce emissions from
citizens, households, communities and
corporations
Reduce energy consumption
UV Radiation
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Educate public about risk, prevention and
protection
Monitor skin cancer rates and other disorders
Increase shaded areas in public places (schools
parks, beaches, resorts, etc.)
Suncreen, vision care
Public Health Sector Summarey
Increase Public Awareness about Health
Hazards related to Climate Change
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Inform, educate and engage with the public
Lead by example personally and professionally
Advocate for development and implementation of
local , provincial and federal climate policies
Engage decision-makers
Disseminate information to colleagues and networks
Collaborate with professionals outside of the health
sector
Summary
 Increasing
evidence to suggest change
has already begun locally and is
accelerating.
 Adaptation
measures are needed to
reduce adverse impacts to climate
change especially for vulnerable people
over the long-term .
 Mitigation
measures at all levels and
through a multitude of partners can make
a difference locally .
For more information contact:
Ido Vettoretti MHS
Environmental Health Specialist
Sudbury & District Health Unit
1300 Paris Street
Sudbury, ON P3E 3A3
(705) 522-9200, ext. 213
E-mail: [email protected]