Climate Change Hazards & Health

As a health-care organization we use energy, fuel, materials and equipment that produce waste and emissions to deliver healthcare services for you. Minimizing our environmental footprint, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and considering how we adapt to climate change is a priority to our teams, patients, communities, and many other partners we work with every day.

Our commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action supports IH’s mission of working together to improve the quality of life for all individuals and communities.

Visit:

Climate Action page 

Extreme weather events can have devastating effects on all aspects of human health (physical, mental and social) and the environment, especially within the most vulnerable groups of our community. People with lower incomes are more affected than others by extreme weather (e.g., wildfire, flooding and extreme heat) because they lack options to adjust to or escape from climate-related events and hazards. The stress associated with the extreme weather event itself and its after effects can have negative, long-lasting health impacts (e.g., anxiety, depression) due to trauma, injury and loss (job, social supports, housing, etc.).

Extreme heat

Health effects associated with extreme heat include heat-related illness and death. Vulnerable groups include pregnant women, older adults, children, persons with low-income, socially isolated individuals and outdoor workers.

Check out this illustration on the symptoms of extreme heat

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Extreme cold

Exposure to extreme cold can lead to injury or death. Risk is especially high for people who are very young, very old, drinking alcohol or not warmly dressed for the weather. You are more likely to feel cold easily if you:

• Do not have much body fat
• Drink caffeine or smoke cigarettes – caffeine and nicotine cause blood vessels to narrow and restrict blood flow
• Are under a lot of stress or feel tired - chronic stress or anxiety can cause your nervous system to release adrenaline, which acts to narrow the blood vessels that supply blood to the hands and feet
• Have certain medical conditions that make you react more strongly to cold or feel colder

Check out this illustration on the symptoms of extreme cold

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Many components of climate change impact air quality and, in turn, our health. For example:

• High heat associated with climate change can increase the levels of pollens and allergens in the air that can trigger asthma and worsen pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.
• Air pollution and smoke from wildfires can worsen pre-existing conditions and cause new respiratory diseases and illness
• Increasing mold growth following storms and flooding can cause increase rates of asthma attacks and allergies, especially within children and people with pre-existing conditions

Check out this illustration on the symptoms of poor air quality.

The British Columbia Asthma Prediction Map is an excellent visual to see current air quality levels in your area.

Climate change affects the short and long-term availability and quality of our drinking water, how much water is available for irrigation, electrical generation, food production and our environment. Over the long term, climate impacts may lead to a lack of safe drinking water, decreased food production and a decrease in access to safe water-related recreation. These impacts can negatively affect your health.

Check out this illustration on the symptoms and dangers of water-borne diseases.

Drinking Water for Everyone contains an excellent interactive map to see all drinking water advisories and the reasons for them within the Interior Health region.

Food security exists when everyone has equitable access to culturally and personally acceptable food that supports lifelong health. Climate change affects food security through its impacts on the environment. Drought and extreme heat can negatively affect food production, harm livestock, and ecosystems where people hunt, gather, and fish. In turn, parts of the food system contribute to climate change, for example, the transportation of food around the globe has a large carbon footprint.

These changes to the food system can contribute to food insecurity, which occurs when people do not have access to enough safe, healthy and acceptable food. Food insecurity is a complex social issue, and a social determinant of health. Folks who experience food insecurity have an increased risk of negative health affects in their lifetime. Working to end climate change is one way we can work to improve food security in our region and support the health of our communities.

Climate change can also affect food safety. Flood and drought allow bacteria into food and water used to grow the food. The bacteria can cause food-borne illness. Bacteria in food can cause problems with your digestive system such as diarrhea, cramps and nausea. Most food-borne illnesses attack the body quickly and don’t last very long (like food poisoning). The most common food-borne illnesses are Campylobacteriosis (Campylobacter bacteria) and Salmonellosis (Salmonella bacteria).

Climate is one of the factors that influence the distribution of diseases by insects. Changes in temperature, precipitation and humidity directly affect the spread of disease. The most common insects that transmit disease are mosquitos and ticks; others include fleas, lice, mites, sandflies and black flies.

Check out this illustration on the symptoms of tick bites

In North America, the most common tick-borne disease is Lyme disease but Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is the most common fatal tick-borne disease. Typical symptoms of these two diseases are fever, headache, fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, muscle pain and characteristic bulls-eye rashes. Muscle and joint aches and swollen lymph nodes are also common. Untreated Lyme disease can last from months to years, and result in arthritis, issues with your nervous system and neurological problems.

West Nile Virus (WNV), most commonly transmitted by mosquitos, is the most widely distributed insect disease in North America. Mosquitos can also transmit a variety of other diseases including malaria, yellow fever.

Check out this illustration on West Nile Virus

With rising temperatures and increased drought, wildfires are more likely to occur in all areas of our region. Air pollution and smoke from wildfires can worsen pre-existing conditions and cause new respiratory diseases and illness.

To prepare for an environmental health emergency such as wildfire, visit our Emergency Preparedness page. For an up-to-the-minute view of current emergency situations in British Columbia, visit Health Emergency Management BC.

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Floods, drought and landslides are becoming common events due to our changing climate. There are many health hazards linked to these events:

• Injuries from falling trees, electrical hazards, unsafe structures and flying debris
• Increased rates of asthma attacks and allergies, especially within children and people with pre-existing conditions caused by the mold growth following storms and flooding
• Flood and drought conditions can both allow bacteria into food and water used to grow the food. The bacteria can cause food-borne illness. Bacteria in food can cause problems with your digestive system such as diarrhea, cramps and nausea. Most food-borne illnesses attack the body quickly and don’t last very long (e.g., food poisoning). The most common food-borne illnesses are Campylobacteriosis (Campylobacter bacteria) and Salmonellosis (Salmonella bacteria)

To prepare for an environmental health emergency such as floods, drought or landslides, visit our Emergency Preparedness page. For an up-to-the-minute view of current emergency situations in British Columbia, visit Health Emergency Management BC.

Learn more