Climate change
Case 3- Dr Bill
There has been a 200% increase in
deaths from the local nursing home due to heat stress. You are asked to give a
talk about the health implications of climate change to the local Rotary group…
Climate change has become a hot topic. It appears unequivocal that the planet is
warming by approximately 0.5 deg C every decade. There are also more extremes
of weather- longer droughts, more intense cyclones, more floods, and more heat
waves. The impact of climate change on biodiversity is significant. This has direct and indirect effects on our ecosystems and ultimately humans health. The specific health consequences of climate change are only being realized. There are also several studies on the projected health consquences of climate change over the next 100 yrs based on models of current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduced GHGs.
Learning objectives:
- To be aware of the evidence which supports the climate change case
- To understand the extent of climate change and likely projections over the next 100yrs
- To understand the concept of biodiversity and the relationship of ecosystems to global and population wellbeing
- To be aware of the health impacts of climate change
- To understand the mitigation factors in slowing climate change
It has been a long hot summer. Some of the locals say this has been the hottest summer that they can ever remember. The Clinical Nurse Consultant at the local nursing home (Quiet Pines) rings you to say “ Mavis has just past away… and she is our 4 death this week, with 18 deaths this summer” . The usual death rate in this nursing home is 9 per year. It appears that Mavis, aged 92 died of heat stress, which was partly caused by the break down of the air conditioning system. The temperature ahs been 40- 42 deg for the last 3 days.
You meet with the Board of Quiet Pines and discuss the recent spate of deaths. You note that the local paper has also reported an increase in deaths of the elderly this summer. The Board ask if there are any measure they could employ to reduce this epidemic.
Issues to consider
Are there any population health measures you could recommend to mitigate this threat to this elderly nursing home population?
A week later one of your patients who is a Rotarian notices you have a Doctors for the Environment poster in your consulting room. He asks if you know about the organisation as his Rotary club were interested in having a talk on the subject of climate change. You confirm you are a member of Doctors for the Environment.
You agree to do the talk.
Issue to consider
What information would you include in such a talk?.
Some
projected health risks of climate change by 2100
•
15,000 elderly
Australians dying from heat stress/yr
•
Dengue fever
transmission zone to
•
Increase prevalence of
vector borne diseases Ross-River, Japanese Encephalitis
•
More imported malaria
•
Increase risk of food
and water borne diseases
•
Asthma and allergies
increased
•
Increased suicide
Click
here to see a Powerpoint presentation you could
use
You decide that to be consistent with your principles your clinic should be more environmentally friendly. You bring this up at your next practice meeting.
Issue to consider
What practical steps could you institute in your clinic to make it more ‘green’.?
References & further reading;
Climate change and human health. What GPs can do? AFP 36(11) 2006
Global Warming: A Threat to Biodiversity: Climate Change and Biodiversity
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3107398836464712120
Intergovernemental Panel on Climate Change
Climate Change and Primary Health Care
"Mitigation of Climate Change" IPCC Working
Group III Report `May 4 2007
http://www.dea.org.au/UserFiles/File/pdf_documents/Climate_Change_Health_Check_2020.pdf
Bushfires and human health in a changing environment AFP Vol 38, (9) 720-724 Fay H Johnston BMBS, DipObs, DA(UK), FAFPHM, FACRRM, PhD, is a general practitioner and NHMRC Fellow, Menzies Research Institute, Hobart, Tasmania. http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200909/33896
Preparing Australian medical students for climate change AFP Vol 38, (9) 726-729 http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200909/33895