Global population futures: health impacts of global environmental change

What are some examples of global environmental change that could impact health?

- ozone depletion
- climate change

How have attitudes towards health changed?

- Attitudes to health have changed as we are more aware of health risks due to improvements in technology and education.
- However, this does not necessarily result in behavioural changes.

What is the ozone layer and how is it becoming depleted?

- A naturally occurring layer of O3 above the earth that protects the planet from harmful radiation.
- Atmospheric pollution from aerosol sprays and heavy industry have destroyed this layer (CFCs!).

What are cataracts?

A health condition which causes the lenses of the eye to become opaque, resulting in poor vision. They are the leading cause of blindness.

Describe the distribution of cataracts and state how many people are affected.

- The highest burden of cataracts is in Africa, the Middle East and some South American countries.
- The WHO estimates 12-15 million people are affected.

How are cataracts linked to ozone depletion?

It is estimated that 20% of cataract cases may be caused by UV radiation.

What is the most common form of cancer in the UK and what environmental variable is it linked to?

- Skin cancer.
- It is linked to ozone depletion.

What are five risk factors for skin cancer?

- Exposure to the sun: a history of sunburn and unprotection can increase risk
- Outdoor working: increases sun exposure
- Being fair-skinned: more likely to burn
- Age and family history: older people are more at risk
- Other: radiotherapy, weak immune systems, skin conditions

What are the three major health issues that will be impacted by climate change?

- Thermal stress
- Vector borne diseases
- Agricultural productivity

How many climate-change related deaths are predicted between 2030-2050 due to thermal stress, vector borne diseases and agricultural productivity?

250,000

How will climate change impact nutritional standards and how will this impact health?

- Climate change will decrease crop yields, especially in the tropics due to changes in precipitation patterns.
- Climate change may decrease the availability of fruit/veg in developing countries (estimated to cause 500,000 deaths in 2050).
- Decreasing food availability will increase food prices, causing malnutrition in poorer countries and obesity in wealthier ones (as unhealthy food is often cheaper).

How is climate change impacting agricultural productivity?

- Rising temperatures increase evaporation and aridity, causing more salinisation and desertification of soil which decreases yields.
- Monsoon rains are shorter/later so the growing season is shorter (e.g., Indonesia + rice).
- Rising sea levels and increased frequency of hazards causes saltwater intrusion.
- Rising temperatures have increased the length of the growing season in cold regions like the UK.

How will changing temperature and precipitation due to climate change impact health?

- Rising temperatures will increase deaths due to thermal stress (esp in the elderly)
- Increased temp and precipitation will cause vector-borne diseases to spread to new regions
- Decreasing temperatures will increase health problems such as colds and flu