Heat Exposure and Human Health in the Context of Climate Change

Front Cover
Heat Exposure and Human Health in the Context of Climate Change
Heat Exposure and Human Health in the Context of Climate Change
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Contents
Contributors
1 - Introduction
References
2 - Extreme heat and climate change
1. Introduction and history of climate change
2. General mitigation and adaptation strategies to climate change
2.1 Mitigation strategies
2.2 Adaptation strategies
3. Observed changes in heatwaves
3.1 Measuring heatwaves
3.2 Physical drivers of heatwaves
3.3 Observed changes in temperature and heatwaves
4. Future changes in temperature and extreme heat
4.1 Physical climate models and emission scenarios
4.2 Projected changes in heatwaves
4.3 Finding the anthropogenic signal behind extreme heat events
References
Further reading
3 - The biologic mechanism for heat exposure and human health
1. Introduction
2. Thermoregulation general concepts
2.1 Anthropologic and evolutionary aspects
2.2 Pathophysiology of thermal regulation
2.3 Individual and pathological modifiers of thermal regulation
2.4 Influence of climate on human health
2.4.1 Global climate aspects
2.5 Local climate aspects
2.6 Scientific methods used on climate and human health studies
2.6.1 Development of statistical methods from 1960s to 2020
2.6.2 Final considerations
References
Further reading
4 - Heat exposure and child health
1. Background
2. Thermophysiology of children
2.1 Heat dissipation
2.2 Heat production
2.3 Body size
2.4 Body core temperature
2.5 Heat acclimation
3. Epidemiological findings of heat–health relations
3.1 Wide range of the health outcome due to heat exposure
3.1.1 Placental abruption
3.1.2 Premature rupture of membrane
3.1.3 Preterm delivery
3.1.4 Stillbirth
3.1.5 Low birth weight
3.1.6 Congenital cataracts
3.2 Heat-related mortality
References
5 - Heat exposure and elderly health
1. Thermoregulation in the elderly
1.1 Neuroanatomical basis of thermoregulation in the elderly
1.2 Age-related changes in the skin blood flow response
1.3 Age-related changes in sudomotor activity and perspiration
1.4 Age-related changes in behavioral thermoregulation
1.5 Certain medical conditions affecting thermoregulation in the elderly
1.6 Summary of the age-related changes in thermoregulation
2. Health effects of heat exposure in the elderly
2.1 Direct health effects of heat exposure in the elderly
2.2 Indirect health effects of heat exposure in the elderly
2.3 Summary of the adverse health effects of heat exposure in the elderly
3. Limitations of the biological model
4. The epidemiological perspective
5. Synthesis of knowledge
References
6 - Heat exposure and occupational health
1. Introduction
2. Occupational health hazards and impacts
2.1 Some historical notes
2.2 Thermal balance
2.3 Scale of the occupational heat–health issue—population studies of the impact of heat exposure
2.3.1 Morbidity (injury and illness)
2.3.1.1 Deaths
2.3.1.2 Illness and injury
2.3.2 Productivity
2.3.3 Costs
3. Heat stress risk assessment
3.1 Risk factors
3.1.1 Task aspects (work)
3.1.2 Individual characteristics (worker)
3.1.3 Environmental parameters (workplace)
3.2 Assessment of heat stress exposure and risk
3.3 Occupational population studies of heat–health risks
3.3.1 Illness risks
3.3.2 Injury risks
4. Prevention, control, and adaptation
4.1 The hierarchy of heat hazard control
4.1.1 Scenario
4.1.2 Administrative controls
4.2 Occupational population studies of heat–health/injury management
5. Concluding remarks
References
Further reading
7 - Heat exposure and cardiorespiratory health
1. Introduction
2. Heat exposure and cardiovascular diseases
2.1 Heat exposure and cardiovascular mortality
2.1.1 Heat exposure and total cardiovascular mortality
2.1.2 Heat exposure and subtypes of cardiovascular mortality
2.2 Heat exposure and cardiovascular morbidity
2.2.1 Myocardial infarction
2.2.2 Ischemic heart disease
2.2.3 Heart failure
2.2.4 Other cardiovascular diseases
2.3 Physiological factors
3. Heat exposure and respiratory diseases
3.1 Heat exposure and respiratory mortality
3.2 Heat exposure and respiratory morbidity
3.2.1 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
3.2.2 Asthma
3.2.3 Respiratory allergy
3.2.4 Respiratory infections and lung function
3.2.5 Other respiratory diseases
4. Summary
References
8 - Heat exposure and mental health in the context of climate change
1. Introduction
2. Findings
2.1 Mental disorders and illnesses
2.1.1 Mortality
2.1.1.1 Heatwave
2.1.1.2 High ambient temperature
2.1.2 Hospitalizations
2.1.2.1 Heatwave
2.1.2.2 High ambient temperature
2.1.3 Visits of emergency departments or hospitals
2.1.3.1 Heatwave
2.1.3.2 High ambient temperature
2.1.4 Other mental health outcomes
2.1.4.1 Aggravation of symptoms in patients with mental disorders
2.1.4.2 Incidence of mental disorders
2.1.4.3 Dementia
2.1.4.4 Mental health and well-being
2.2 Suicide
2.3 Violence
2.3.1 Heat and collective or intergroup violence
2.3.2 Heat and interpersonal violence and crimes
3. Discussions
3.1 Biological mechanisms
4. Heat and provocation
5. Future directions
References
9 - Heat exposure and the transmission of infectious diseases
1. Waterborne diseases and heat
1.1 Background
1.2 Epidemiological studies
1.3 Heat impacts on enteropathogen growth and transmissibility
1.4 Climate change impact projections
1.5 Further research
2. Vector-borne diseases and heat
2.1 Vector-borne diseases and mosquito-borne diseases
2.2 Mosquito life cycle and disease transmission
2.3 How climate change pathways affect mosquito-borne diseases
2.4 Modeling associations between climate change and mosquito-borne diseases
2.5 Historical and future mosquito-related health burdens
2.6 Future directions for climate change and mosquito-borne disease studies
2.6.1 Code availability
References
10 - Geographic variation in impacts of heat exposure on human health
1. Introduction
2. Geographic variation in impacts of high temperature
2.1 At the global level
2.2 At the country/region level
3. Geographic variation in impact of heatwaves
4. Modifiers for the geographic variation in heat effect and the uncertainties
4.1 Climatic and geographic factors
4.2 Sociodemographic and infrastructural factors
4.3 Uncertainties
5. Geographic variation in future heat effect under climate change scenarios
6. Summary
References
11 - Temporal variation in impacts of heat exposure on human health
1. Introduction
1.1 Background/context: why understanding temporal variation in heat-related health risks is important
1.2 Chapter outline: scope and definitions
1.2.1 Definitions
2. Overview of methods used to study temporal variation impacts of heat exposure on human health
2.1 Study designs: heat exposure
2.2 Measures of heat impact and health outcomes
2.3 Evaluating changes over time in epidemiological studies
2.3.1 Studies of temporal changes in susceptibility to ambient heat
2.3.2 Studies of heatwave impacts
3. Epidemiological evidence of temporal variation in heat–health impacts
3.1 Evidence of changes in susceptibly to ambient heat
3.1.1 Temporal variation by time period studied
3.1.2 Temporal variation by study location
3.1.3 Temporal variation by outcome (RR, AF, type of mortality)
3.1.4 Temporal variation by population characteristics
3.2 Evidence of temporal variation in the health impact of heatwaves
4. Factors accounting for changing impacts over time
4.1 Differentiating between spontaneous and heat-related adaptive mechanisms
4.2 Attributing declines in heat-related susceptibility to specific modifying factors and interventions
5. Understanding temporal variation in heat–health impacts in the context of climate change: implications for impact assessmen ...
5.1 The use of historical changes to inform climate risk assessments and limits in understanding
5.2 Implications for current and future adaptation to heat
5.3 Current gaps in understanding
6. Conclusion
References
12 - Strategies to reduce the health impacts of heat exposure
1. Introduction
2. Adaptation interventions
2.1 Individual
2.1.1 Information provision and resonance
2.1.2 Potential symptoms and self-monitoring
2.1.3 Vulnerable groups
2.1.4 Behavioral change and challenges
2.2 Interpersonal
2.2.1 Information exchange and trust building
2.2.2 Communication and education
2.2.3 Reference group and peer models
2.2.4 Compelling persuasion
2.2.5 Self-efficacy
2.3 Community
2.3.1 Infrastructures
2.3.2 Community engagement
2.3.3 Identify vulnerable groups
2.3.4 Livelihood initiatives
2.3.5 Solidarity
2.4 Institutional
2.4.1 Introducing new technology
2.4.2 Strengthening occupational health surveillance
2.4.3 Institutional management
2.5 Environmental
2.5.1 Landscape
2.5.1.1 Green infrastructures
2.5.1.2 Blue infrastructures
2.5.2 Building
2.5.2.1 Green roofs
2.5.2.2 Reflective surface
2.5.3 Pavement level
2.5.3.1 Cool pavements
2.5.3.2 Water stations
2.6 Public policy
2.6.1 Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning and related guidelines
2.6.2 Air-conditioning and disparities in the society
2.6.3 Other sustainable cooling strategies
2.6.4 Vehicles and transportation
2.6.5 Health education and effective communication
2.6.6 Heat warning systems
3. Conclusion
References
Index
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