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The medical response to climate change
1Interim Director, Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Pediatric Hospitalist, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Med (New York, N.Y.)
|May 19, 2022
Summary
Climate change impacts healthcare through extreme weather and the medical sector's own pollution. A health response to climate change is increasingly necessary.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Public Health
- Medical Science
Background:
- Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere pose distant threats.
- Climate change impacts are increasingly affecting healthcare delivery and patient safety.
- The healthcare sector contributes significantly to air pollution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the growing relevance of climate change to healthcare.
- To underscore the need for a medical response to climate change.
- To outline the multifaceted motivations for healthcare professionals to address climate change.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review and synthesis of existing literature and expert opinion.
- It analyzes the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on health systems.
- It examines the environmental footprint of the healthcare industry.
Main Results:
- Extreme weather events (storms, fires, heat waves) directly threaten patients, healthcare facilities, and medical supplies.
- The healthcare sector's contribution to air pollution is substantial, exacerbating climate change.
- There is a clear and growing need for healthcare professionals to engage with climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Conclusions:
- Climate change presents significant and immediate challenges to healthcare.
- The healthcare industry must address its environmental impact.
- A proactive medical response to climate change is essential for safeguarding public health.
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