From 2001 to 2010, a total of about 28,000 heat-related hospitalizations were recorded across 20 states. Considerable year-to-year variability and certain limitations of the underlying data for this indicator make it difficult to determine whether the United States has experienced long-term trends in the number of deaths classified as “heat-related.” People aged 65+ are a particular concern: a growing demographic group that is several times more likely to die from heat-related cardiovascular disease than the general population. The annual death rate is higher when accounting for deaths in which heat was reported as a contributing factor, including the interaction of heat and cardiovascular disease.
Since 1979, more than 11,000 Americans were reported to have died as a direct result of heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke. Populations of particular concern include the poor, the elderly, those already in poor health, the disabled, and indigenous populations. The extent to which climate change will affect different regions and sectors of society will depend not only on the sensitivity of those systems to climate change, but also on their ability to adapt to or cope with climate change. The more extensively and more rapidly the climate changes, the larger the potential effects on society. In addition, climate change could require adaptation on larger and faster scales than in the past, presenting challenges to human well-being and the economy. Warmer temperatures could also reduce air quality by increasing the chemical reactions that produce smog, and, along with changes in precipitation patterns and extreme events, could enhance the spread of some diseases. Increases in the frequency or severity of extreme weather events, such as storms, could increase the risk of dangerous flooding, high winds, and other direct threats to people and property. Warmer average temperatures will likely lead to hotter days and more frequent and longer heat waves, which could increase the number of heat-related illnesses and deaths. These changes can result in multiple threats to human health and welfare. Why does it matter?Ĭhanges in climate affect the average weather conditions to which we are accustomed. It is important for health-related climate indicators to be clear, measurable, and timely to better understand the link between climate change and health effects. This chapter looks at some of the ways that climate change is affecting human health and society, including changes in Lyme disease, West Nile virus, ragweed pollen season, heat- and cold-related deaths and hospitalizations, heating and cooling needs, and the agricultural growing season across the United States.īecause impacts on human health are complex, often indirect, and dependent on multiple societal and environmental factors (including how people respond to these impacts), the development of appropriate health-related climate indicators is challenging and still emerging.
The nature and extent of these effects, and whether they will be harmful or beneficial, will vary regionally and over time. Changes in the Earth’s climate can affect public health, agriculture, water supplies, energy production and use, land use and development, and recreation.
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