Child climate-sensitive health risks and effects

Oct 14m 2010

Source: NIH

National Library of Medicine

National Center for Biotechnology Information

Photo Source: Unsplash

Using a children’s health framework (Daston et al. 2004; Landrigan et al. 2004), in the present review we summarize children’s vulnerability to climate-related environmental hazards, emphasizing that the disproportionate impacts will exacerbate existing issues of environmental justice (Council on Community Pediatrics and Committee on Native American Child Health 2010; Landrigan et al. 2010). We focus on the health impacts of major exposures associated with climate change, namely, increased temperatures, increasing frequency and severity of weather extremes, and sea level rise. We do not focus on impacts from adaptation and mitigation decisions that also have the potential to affect children’s health. Notably, health impacts from adaptation and mitigation could be positive, especially if they reduce other negative environmental exposures. We then explore the current state of evaluation of pediatric disease burden associated with climate change using the epidemiologic framework proposed by McMichael (2001a) (Table 1). Last, we review prevention strategies to reduce impacts of global climate change on children’s health.

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