Climate-Related Hazards and Public Health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): A Systematic Review With...

This systematic review with meta-analysis examines mortality, disease burdens, and systemic public health challenges following climate-related hazards and climate-sensitive disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) between 2007 and 2022. A comprehensive search across 6 databases and gray literature sources identified 673 articles, with 5 studies meeting criteria for quantitative meta-analysis and 3 additional reports incorporated for qualitative synthesis. Meta-analysis revealed substantial heterogeneity across studies (I ² = 81%, P < .001), with a pooled estimate of 6.2 excess deaths per 1000 population (95% CI: 2.1-10.3) following major disasters-equivalent to an 84% increase in mortality risk compared to baseline. Individual studies documented over 4600 excess deaths following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, with 78% of casualties concentrated in low-income municipalities. Age disparities were evident: 65.9% of earthquake-related deaths in Haiti occurred among children under 12 years, while 48% of tsunami victims in Chile were aged ⩾ 80 years. Waterborne disease outbreaks surged post-disaster, including a 300% increase in cholera cases following Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and Legionella contamination in 86% of cisterns in St. Thomas. Critical gaps in standardized mortality reporting and longitudinal data hinder comprehensive risk assessment. Strengthening climate-resilient health infrastructure, integrating Indigenous knowledge, and establishing regional data standardization protocols are imperative to mitigate adverse health outcomes in LAC.