The relationship between health and climate change

• Main Author: Beloded, Irina
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: Asociația de Biosiguranță și Biosecuritate din Republica Moldova 2021
• Subjects: climate change; high temperatures; health; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; albedo; Climate change; Global warming
• Online Access: http://repository.usmf.md/./handle/20.500.12710/18304; https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12710/18304; https://journal.ohrm.bba.md/index.php/journal-ohrm-bba-md/issue/view/17/18

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Republic of Moldova Introduction. Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when it takes an extended period of time (i.e. from decades to millions of years). The Earth's climate system response might be rapid (e.g., a sudden cooling due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere by reflecting sunlight), slow (e.g., thermal expansion of warm ocean waters), or a combined response (e.g., sudden decrease of ice albedo in the Arctic Ocean, followed by more gradual thermal expansion of the water). The life quality in the population is largely conditioned by the environmental conditions which provide an optimal ecological balance between local, regional and global levels. Material and methods. The present study was aimed to perform a literature review related to healthcare issues, climate change, as well as global warming. Data issued by WHO were analysed, as well as other relevant scientific studies. The bibliographic list accounted for 47 sources (articles, reports, monographs, and PhD theses), published in the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Russian Federation, Bulgaria, Portugal, France, USA, and Great Britain. Results. As a result of literature review it became clear that climate change will inevitably affect the essential components in maintaining a healthy living environment, such as air and clean water and adequate food and shelter. There is a threat that higher temperatures and climate variability will raise the level of air pollutants, increase the incidence of disease transmission through contaminated water and food, endanger agricultural production in less developed countries and increase the possibility of extreme weather events. Any climate change triggers some new challenges in the fight against infectious diseases, some of which are extremely sensitive to climate (such as extreme temperatures and rainfall), including cholera, diarrheal diseases, malaria, Dengue fever and other vector - borne infections. ...