How Climate Change is Impacting Our Health

Climate change is a global phenomenon that has a significant impact on various aspects of our lives, including public health. The impact of climate change on public health can be seen in different forms such as increased prevalence of infectious diseases, heat-related illnesses, and air pollution, to name a few.

Causes of Climate Change

Burning of fossil-fuels and greenhouse gas emissions are the primary causes of climate change. These gasses rise up into the Earth’s atmosphere and form a blanket around our planet. This leads the sun’s heat to be trapped in the Earth and raise temperatures. Additionally, deforestation is a major factor of releasing carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Trees store carbon dioxide, so when deforestation or forest fires occur, the stored carbon dioxide gets released into our atmosphere. Methane is also often released as well, leading to further global warming.

Effects of Climate Change on Our Health

Climate change is a serious matter in our world and many people either underestimate the power of global warming, or simply don’t believe that climate change is a real thing! However, this is a problem that is only getting worse over time and has caused many negative effects. For instance, climate change has led to air pollution, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and many other problems in our world. On top of that, it has impacted our public health in various ways:

1. Infectious Diseases:

Climate change has led to a rise in the number of infectious diseases caused by pathogens and vectors, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. This increase in the number of vector-borne diseases is due to the changes in the global climate, which has led to an expansion of the range of the vectors.The most notable of these diseases is malaria, which has seen a resurgence in areas that were previously malaria-free. In addition, climate change has also led to an increase in the number of outbreaks of cholera, dengue fever, and other water-borne diseases, which are caused by contaminated water sources.

2. Heat-related Illnesses:

As the planet warms, the number of heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps is also increasing. This is particularly true in urban areas where the urban heat island effect is causing temperatures to be higher than in rural areas. These heat-related illnesses can be especially dangerous for the elderly, children, and people with underlying health conditions.For instance, the ice-caps melting causes more bacteria to be released which can affect the animals living near the ice caps

3. Air Pollution:

Air pollution is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Harmful air pollutants can lead to artery blockages which can cause permanent heart damage because of oxygen deprivation. A sharp increase in the combination of fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides is correlated with an increased number of hospitalizations related to abnormalities in the heart rhythm. The increased frequency of wildfires and other natural disasters caused by climate change is also contributing to the increase in air pollution.

4. Rise of superbugs:

Climate change is a global crisis that is affecting every aspect of our lives, including public health. One of the most significant impacts of climate change on public health is the rise of superbugs, which are antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that are becoming increasingly common. These superbugs are a major concern for public health because they are difficult to treat and can cause serious infections. Super bugs are resistant to multiple antibiotics and can quickly spread from person to person, making them a major threat to public health. They are becoming increasingly common due to several factors, including overuse of antibiotics, poor hygiene, and the growing impact of climate change. Climate change has created conditions that are ideal for the growth and spread of superbugs. Rising temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of natural disasters are all contributing to the rise of superbugs. For example, floods and hurricanes can spread bacteria and viruses, making it easier for them to spread from one location to another. In addition, climate change is also leading to changes in the distribution of insects that carry bacteria and viruses, making it easier for them to spread diseases.

Antimicrobial Resistance

Recently, climate change has greatly worsened antimicrobial resistance in several ways. According to epidemiologists, higher temperatures have increased the rate of bacterial growth along with the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes. As a result of this, diseases will be much harder to treat as bacteria will become more likely to live through a longer lifespan. Additionally, since infections will be harder to treat, certain medical advancements will be jeopardized. Joint replacements and organ transplants, for instance, cause a very high risk of infection in patients, meaning the use of antibiotics would be necessary. However, if bacteria is more resistant to these antibiotics, then receiving infections could lead to drastic effects for the patient, possibly leading to organ toxicity or failure depending on the severity of the infection.

There are a couple of ways to prevent antimicrobial resistance. One major way is to limit the overuse of antibiotics. Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection applies here, the more antibiotics we use, the higher the population growth of the bacteria who are resistant to that antibiotic. Conversely, limiting the use of antibiotics in agriculture is recommended as well to reduce environmental pollution. Lastly, and possibly most importantly, it is best to reduce climate change as well. After all, the high temperatures on our planet allows bacteria colonies to thrive, so it is important to reduce the effects of climate change to not only kill off the bacteria, but also to save our planet!

How you can help reduce the drastic effects of climate change:

Climate change is a global crisis that is affecting every aspect of our lives, including healthcare. The drastic effects of climate change on healthcare are being felt across the world, from increased prevalence of infectious diseases to heat-related illnesses and air pollution. However, there is hope. There are things that we can all do to help reduce the drastic effects of climate change in healthcare.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: One of the easiest and most effective ways to help reduce the drastic effects of climate change in healthcare is to reduce your carbon footprint. This can be done by reducing energy consumption, using renewable energy sources, and reducing waste. For example, you can turn off lights when you leave a room, use energy-efficient appliances, and recycle as much as possible.
Support Sustainable Development: Another way to help reduce the drastic effects of climate change in healthcare is to support sustainable development. This can be done by investing in clean energy technologies, supporting sustainable agriculture, and reducing the use of harmful chemicals.
Invest in Public Health Infrastructure: Investing in public health infrastructure is another way to help reduce the drastic effects of climate change in healthcare. This includes building better water and sanitation systems, improving access to healthcare, and investing in research and development of new treatments and vaccines.
Advocacy: Advocating for climate change policies and regulations is another way to help reduce the drastic effects of climate change in healthcare. This includes advocating for carbon taxes, renewable energy policies, and regulations that limit the use of harmful chemicals.

In conclusion, there are many things that we can all do to help reduce the drastic effects of climate change in healthcare. From reducing our carbon footprint to investing in public health infrastructure, we can all play a role in ensuring that future generations will have a healthier, safer world to live in. So let’s take action today and help protect our health and the health of future generations!