The Earth's climate
is changing in ways
that could have serious
consequences for public
health. In addition
to the direct effects of
higher temperatures,
climate change will likely
increase the number of
people suffering from
illness and injury due  to
floods, storms, droughts,
and fires, as well as
allergies and infectious
diseases. This fact sheet
describes some of the key
ways  in which climate
change is expected  to
affect peoples health.
    United States
    Environmental Protection
    Agency
                                    Climate Change  and
                                            Health   Effects
Heat-Related Illnesses and Deaths
   When people are exposed to extreme heat, they can suffer from potentially deadly illnesses such
   as elevated body temperatures, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. As the world's
   average temperature gets warmer, some areas are already experiencing an increase in the number
   of extremely hot days, and scientists expect severe heat waves to become more frequent and more
   intense in the future.
   Heat is already the
   leading cause of
   weather-related deaths
   in the United States,
   with more than 6,300
   deaths resulting from
   exposure to extremely
   hot weather between
   1979 and 2006. Rising
   temperatures, however,
   might result in fewer
   deaths from extreme
   cold.

Respiratory Problems
   In some parts of the
   United States, smog
   (ground-level ozone)
   levels are expected to
   increase as temperatures
   rise. Smog can irritate
   the respiratory system,
   reduce lung capacity,
   and aggravate asthma.
   People with existing
   respiratory or heart
   problems would be at
   increased risk.
Heat-Related Deaths in the United States,
1979-2006
 o
  1975
                      Year
                                                     Befween J 998 and J 999, the World Health Organization revised the
                                                     international codes used to classify causes of death. As a result, data
                                                     from before 1999 cannot easily be compared with data from 1999
                                                     and later.

                                                     Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2009.
                                                     http://wonder.cdc.gov/mortSQL.html
     Heat is already the. leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United
     States, with more than 6,300 deaths resulting from exposure to extremely
     hot weather between 1979 and 2006.

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                 Diseases and Allergies
                 Diseases such as cholera and salmonella, which are transmitted through
                 contaminated food or water, could become more widespread with climate
                 change because of increased flooding.
                 Changes in temperature and rainfall in some areas are likely to increase
                 the range and the length of activity for ticks and mosquitoes, which can
                 spread diseases such as Lyme disease, malaria, and West Nile virus. In
                 fact, the large transmissions of West Nile virus during the summers of 2002
                 through 2004 in the United States have been linked to the above average
                 temperatures seen in these years. These impacts may be more prevalent in
                 developing countries, however, since many climate-sensitive diseases such
                 as malaria have been virtually eliminated in the United States due in part to
                 public health measures.
                 Climate change could also cause more severe allergy symptoms because
                 a warmer climate  is expected to promote the growth of the  molds, weeds,
                 grasses, and trees that cause allergic reactions  in some people. Climate
                 change has already caused the spring pollen season to begin earier in
                 North America. Ragweed has been observed to grow faster and flower
                 earier in urban areas where effects of climate change are enhanced
                 compared  with rural areas.
Who Is at Risk?
Certain people are more at risk of experiencing the health impacts of climate
change than others, including those who:
•   Are elderly, very young, disabled, poor, or living alone.
•   Have existing medical conditions such as heart disease or asthma.
•   Live in  urban neighborhoods that are already stressed by air pollution, aging
    infrastructure, and the heat island effect, which makes cities hotter than
    surrounding rural areas.

The degree to which people will be affected also depends on the ability of
a region to prepare for and respond to risks. Improvements  in emergency
preparedness, health-care systems, and other response measures can all help
reduce the health impacts of climate change.
                     For More Information
           For detailed information about greenhouse gas emissions,
              the effects of climate change, EPA efforts underway,
            and tips on what you can do, visit EPA's Climate Change
                   Web site atwww.epa.gov/climatechange.

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