How Climate Change Affects Health

Apr 20, 2016 by Cora

Problem: Climate change can affect and worsen a persons health, the factors that can most affect include; Higher Temperatures, Air Quality and Indirect and Direct Vector Borne Diseases. Higher temperatures can cause 

• heat stroke and heat exhaustion 
• fainting 
• heat cramps
• worsen cardiovascular and respiratory diseases 

The most vulnerable to heat are the elderly. 

Already a serious public health issue in Canada is poor air quality from the cause of air pollution, this can cause and worsen heart disease, respiratory disease and allergies this can also lead to Cancer. Children, elders and people with cardiovascular are at the most risk. 

Climate change and some of the climate change factors such as higher temperatures and weather events can lead to indirect and direct vector borne diseases. Diseases can be transmitted by mosquitoes and temperature affects how long mosquitoes bite and how quickly the malaria parasite inside of a mosquito becomes mature enough to infect humans. Climate change can affect extreme weather events and rainfall leads to pools of water which means an increase in the mosquito eggs that will be laid. Humidity can increase lifespan of mosquitoes which can will lead to more opportunities to carry malaria infections from person to person. 

Malaria is a fever that takes over the red blood cells this disease that can be transmitted by mosquitoes, only females can transmit the disease so the female Anopheles mosquito can pick up the disease from the infected humans and spread it. The people most at risk include Children 

Evidence/Data Proposed Solutions: 

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