Climate Change And Its Impact On Asthma In South Africa

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• South Africa is warming 1.5 times faster than the global average, exacerbating respiratory health issues.
• Climate change drives extreme weather, increased allergens, and poor air quality, worsening asthma and allergic diseases.
• Fragmented health and environmental monitoring systems hinder effective public health responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review evidence on climate-related respiratory risks in South Africa, focusing on asthma.
• To identify critical data and policy gaps in current climate-health surveillance.
• To introduce the South Africa Climate Adaptation and Resilience for Environmental Health (SA-CARES) system as a model for integrated surveillance.

Main Methods:

• This study is a narrative review of existing literature and national studies.
• It contextualizes current evidence on climate impacts on respiratory health.
• It proposes a sentinel-based early-warning system for respiratory health.

Main Results:

• Climate change significantly increases respiratory health risks, including asthma, in South Africa.
• There are significant gaps in data integration and policy for climate-health adaptation.
• The SA-CARES system offers a model for proactive, integrated respiratory health surveillance.

Conclusions:

• Strengthening climate-health resilience requires linking environmental data with respiratory health outcomes.
• Effective adaptation strategies necessitate coordinated investment in data integration, healthcare preparedness, and community engagement.
• Implementing integrated surveillance systems like SA-CARES is crucial for advancing climate-resilient health policy in South Africa and similar nations.