In addition to its troubling impact on our natural world, climate change has measurable consequences on our health, varying by region and severity. In fact, according to NASA’s global temperature studies, 2020 and 2016 are tied for the warmest years on record since 1880. Additionally, 19 of the warmest years have occurred since 2000, with the exception of 1998.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that not everyone is equally affected by climate change, and that some important factors to consider include age, economic resources and location.
In an article in Yale Climate Connections, Dr. Jonathan Patz, director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin, says there’s no sugarcoating: Climate change is not good for our bodies.
“It’s so important that people recognize that climate change is about our health. There are so many pathways through which climate impacts our health,” Patz says in the article.
Some of these pathways are listed by the CDC, such as air pollution, allergens and pollen, diseases carried by vectors, food and waterborne diarrheal diseases, food security, mental health and stress-related disorders, floods, temperature extremes and wildfires.
From a regional perspective, the Midwest has its own set of specific climate change health concerns. Heat-related illness, especially in rural areas where many people live and work, is prevalent. The CDC also says that the Midwest is expected to have the highest increase in extreme temperature-related premature deaths compared to other regions that are also expected to experience a rise in temperatures.
From a global perspective, the Australian bushfires of 2020 were caused by an extreme rise in temperatures as well as drought and strong winds. And in California, wildfires raged on for a record-setting year in the state. Not only do climate disasters such as wildfires cause physical destruction to homes, ecosystems and land, but the smoke that they emit can cause respiratory problems and even lead to serious asthma attacks.
In terms of other extreme climate change-related events, flooding in large rivers can lead to water contamination and consequent waterborne illnesses.
The CDC says that this is an issue for people in the Midwest who may rely on untreated well or groundwater as drinking water. Water contamination is commonly associated with skin and eye irritation, liver and kidney damage, and gastrointestinal illness. Excess rainfall or a flood also has the potential to cause major damage, injury and even death.
Patz has conducted research on sewer overflow, focusing on the Chicago area which relies on stormwater and wastewater overflow infrastructure to keep contaminated water out of the city’s drinking water. According to the Yale Climate Connections article, Patz’s research estimates that by 2100, Chicago can expect 50 to 120 percent more overflow events.
In addition to these serious physical climate change-related disasters, climate change can also have an impact on mental health. According to the American Public Health Association (APHA), the suicide rate doubled in 1980 in the upper Midwest after a major drought occurred.
With more than 40 million Americans struggling with some type of illness, the number could increase, the APHA says, as 25 to 50 percent of people exposed to extreme weather disasters are at risk of adverse mental health effects.
Helen Widman is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
