&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Climate Change and the
Health of People wit
Existing Medical Conditio
Understanding the threats that climate change
poses to human health can help us work
together to lower risks and be prepared.
Climate change threatens human health, including
mental health, and access to clean air, safe drinking
water, nutritious food, and shelter. Everyone is affected
by climate change at some point in their lives. Some
people are more affected by climate change than
others because of factors like where they live; their age,
health, income, and occupation; and how they go
about their day-to-day life.
People with existing medical conditions are at
increased risk for illness and death from climate
change-related impacts on health, including changing
exposures to extreme heat, extreme weather events,
and poor air quality. Existing medical conditions can
make individuals more sensitive to these exposures,
increasing the potential for health impacts and
worsening symptoms. For example, individuals with
respiratory conditions are more likely to be negatively
affected by exposure to poor air quality than those
without these conditions. In addition, some underlying
health conditions can make it difficult for a person to
limit their exposure or adapt to risks. For example,
individuals with Alzheimer's disease may have difficulty
responding to and evacuating during an extreme
weather event. Certain medications may also impair
the body's ability to regulate temperature or maintain
fluid or electrolyte balances. The number of people
with common chronic medical conditions (such as
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and
respiratory
diseases
including asthma) is expected to
increase over the coming decades.
This means more people will be at
risk of medical complications from
climate change-related exposures.
What is climate change and why does it
matter for health?
We've all heard of it, but what exactly is climate change?
Greenhouse gases act like a blanket around Earth,
trapping energy in the atmosphere. Human activities,
especially burning fossil fuels for energy, increase the
amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and
cause the climate to warm. Climate is the typical or
average weather for an area. Climate change is any
change in average weather that lasts for a long period of
time, like warming temperatures. Climate change affects
the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we
drink. It also leads to extreme weather events, like
flooding, droughts, and wildfires. All of these impacts
affect human health.
People with chronic medical conditions and their
families or caregivers can start taking steps now to
protect themselves against the negative impacts of
climate change. Community members can also take part
in local decision-making, especially emergency and
urban planning. Discussions like these raise awareness
and can help communities address the needs of all
residents.
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If you have the following illnesses then you
should be aware that...
Heart Disease. Drugs used to treat heart diseases,
such as diuretics and beta-blockers, can make
people with heart disease more sensitive to heat
stress.
Diabetes. Diabetes increases sensitivity to heat
stress. Extreme weather events can also present
challenges for diabetics because these events can
limit access to healthcare, medicine, and food
needed to stay healthy.
Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease (COPD). Patients with asthma and COPD
are more sensitive than the general population to
changes in outdoor air quality made worse by
climate change. These lung conditions can be
aggravated by smoke from more frequent and
longer-lasting wildfires, longer pollen seasons, and
more ground-level ozone (a component of smog).
Alzheimer's Disease. Alzheimer's disease can
impair judgment and responses in a crisis
situation, such as an extreme weather event,
which can place people at greater risk.
Mental Illness. Some medications for certain
mental illnesses can increase sensitivity to heat
stress. Extreme weather events may also disrupt
communication lines and social support networks
that people with mental illnesses need to stay
healthy.
This fact sheet is based on "The Impacts of Climate
Change on Human Health in the United States: A
Scientific Assessment." To explore the full report, go to:
https://health2016.globalchange.gov
Learn More
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Air Pollution & Respiratory Health
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Diabetes
Emergency Preparedness
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/preparedness.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Disaster
Information for People with Chronic Conditions and
Disabilities
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/chronic.asp
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heat and
People with Chronic Medical Conditions
http://www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/medical.html
Climate Change: Human Health
https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts/health.html
Climate Change: What You Can Do
https://www3 .epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE WITH EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS
EPA 430-F-16-059
May 2016
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