Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marshall Burke, Anne Driscoll, Sam Heft-Neal, Jiani Xue, Jennifer Burney, Michael Wara
Summary: Recent research examines the changing risk and societal burden of wildfires in the United States. A statistical model is developed to analyze the impact of wildfire activity on air pollution and health outcomes. The study highlights the potential health benefits of fuel management interventions and the uncertain future health impacts from climate-change-induced wildfire smoke.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Asya Dimitrova, Guillaume Marois, Gregor Kiesewetter, Peter Rafaj, Shonali Pachauri, K. C. Samir, Sergio Olmos, Davide Rasella, Cathryn Tonne
Summary: Many children in India face the double burden of high exposure to ambient and household air pollution, which can affect their linear growth. Climate change mitigation may decrease ambient air pollution, but it could also reduce clean cooking access. Targeted air pollution control or subsidized clean cooking access could prevent millions of child stunting cases, and integrated interventions have a synergistic impact in reducing the number of stunted children.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Asya Dimitrova, Guillaume Marois, Gregor Kiesewetter, K. C. Samir, Peter Rafaj, Cathryn Tonne
Summary: The study suggests that pursuing ambitious climate change mitigation targets can prevent up to 8.0 million premature deaths and add 0.7 years to life expectancy by 2050 due to cleaner air in India. It also indicates that aggressive climate change mitigation efforts combined with maximum feasible air quality control can extend life expectancy by 1.6 years. The research shows that climate change mitigation and air quality control will have a greater impact on life expectancy increases in urban areas and states with lower socio-economic development.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Eryn Campbell, Sri Saahitya Uppalapati, John Kotcher, Edward Maibach
Summary: Due to dependence on fossil fuels, climate change and air pollution have severely impacted human and planetary health. However, climate solutions offer an opportunity to create cleaner, healthier, and safer communities at both local and global levels. This review highlights the health risks of climate change, explores climate and health solutions, and provides a synthesis of social science research on climate and health communication. It demonstrates that messaging strategies emphasizing the health impacts of climate change and the benefits of climate solutions can effectively build public and political support. Additionally, health professionals are trusted sources of information and have expressed interest in engaging with the public and policymakers on the health implications of climate change and clean energy. This review suggests that health students and professionals have the potential to address climate change as a public health imperative by aligning message strategies with the interests of highly trusted messengers.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pak Sokharavuth, Sophearith Thiv, Chea Nara, Chandath Him, Sam Sokyimeng, Daven K. Henze, Ryan Holmes, Johan C. I. Kuylenstierna, Christopher S. Malley, Eleni Michalopoulou, Jessica Slater
Summary: Cambodia's 16.5 million people are exposed to air pollution exceeding WHO guidelines, and the government has implemented regulations since 2000. However, rapid economic growth and energy consumption continue to impact air pollution. Cambodia's first Clean Air Plan aims to reduce pollutant emissions over the next decade. The plan includes 14 measures that could substantially reduce emissions and avoid approximately 900 premature deaths per year in 2030. It also contributes to Cambodia's climate change goals by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 19%.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jaana I. Halonen, Marina Erhola, Eeva Furman, Tari Haahtela, Pekka Jousilahti, Robert Barouki, Ake Bergman, Nils E. Billo, Richard Fuller, Andrew Haines, Manolis Kogevinas, Marike Kolossa-Gehring, Kinga Krauze, Timo Lanki, Joana Lobo Vicente, Peter Messerli, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Riikka Paloniemi, Annette Peters, Karl-Heinz Posch, Pekka Timonen, Roel Vermeulen, Suvi M. Virtanen, Jean Bousquet, Josep M. Anto
Summary: The conference in Helsinki in 2019 highlighted the importance of promoting the concept of Planetary Health in Europe and concluded with an intention for action. The Helsinki Declaration underscored the urgent need to address the threats posed by human activities to the health of the planet, calling for global, regional, national, local, and individual actions, as well as multidisciplinary and multi-sectorial collaboration.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erika Garcia, Jill Johnston, Rob McConnell, Lawrence Palinkas, Sandrah P. Eckel
Summary: This study evaluated the benefits of using low-emission vehicles (ZEVs) on respiratory health and air quality in California, and found a slower adoption rate of ZEVs in areas with lower educational attainment. The results showed that the adoption of ZEVs was associated with improvements in air quality and a decrease in asthma-related emergency department visits, but the adoption gap among low-income populations threatens the equitable distribution of these benefits.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Drew Shindell, Muye Ru, Yuqiang Zhang, Karl Seltzer, Greg Faluvegi, Larissa Nazarenko, Gavin A. Schmidt, Luke Parsons, Ariyani Challapalli, Longyi Yang, Alex Glick
Summary: Societal benefits from climate change mitigation are realized through various pathways, with improvements in air quality and reduced heat exposure leading to significant health and productivity gains. Monetized benefits, which include avoided deaths and increased labor productivity and crop yields, are in the tens of trillions of dollars. The emphasis on localized, near-term impacts of air quality can help align policies with societal benefits and increase acceptance of mitigation measures.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ernani F. Choma, John S. Evans, Jose A. Gomez-Ibanez, Qian Di, Joel D. Schwartz, James K. Hammitt, John D. Spengler
Summary: Decades of air pollution regulation in the United States have led to significant benefits, but vehicle emissions remain a concern. Studies on vehicle-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have shown increasing health benefits from emission reductions, while the climate benefits are relatively small.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Christopher S. Malley, Elsa N. Lefevre, Johan C. Kuylenstierna, Seraphine Haeussling, Ioli C. Howard, Nathan Borgford-Parnell
Summary: This study evaluates the inclusion of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) and air pollutant mitigation in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted between 2015 and 2022. The study finds that there has been a significant increase in attention to SLCPs and air pollution in post-2020 NDCs, with more countries including explicit reduction targets for methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons. There has also been a rise in the number of specific mitigation measures included in NDCs, indicating a greater focus on reducing SLCPs and co-emitted air pollutants. These findings highlight the importance of integrating SLCP and air pollution mitigation into climate change policies.
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Thalia R. Segal, Linda C. Giudice
Summary: Climate change is a major risk factor for overall health, including reproductive health. This review examines the evidence for the adverse impacts of climate change-related factors on male and female fertility, the developing fetus, and obstetric outcomes, highlighting the unique role of reproductive health care providers in mitigating the effects of climate change.
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chunlei Han, Rongbin Xu, Yajuan Zhang, Wenhua Yu, Zhongwen Zhang, Lidia Morawska, Jane Heyworth, Bin Jalaludin, Geoffrey Morgan, Guy Marks, Michael Abramson, Liwei Sun, Shanshan Li, Yuming Guo
Summary: This study aimed to develop a novel indicator to assess air pollution control efficacy across countries, and found that the indicator was associated with important population health indicators, explaining international variations in life expectancy, infant mortality rate, and under-five year of age mortality rate.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Xiang Xiao, Yangyang Xu, Xiaorui Zhang, Fan Wang, Xiao Lu, Zongwei Cai, Guy Brasseur, Meng Gao
Summary: This study investigates the cooccurrences of heat and air pollution extremes in China. The results show a significant increase in the frequency of joint exceedances of wet-bulb temperature (w) and O-3, mainly in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River delta. Moreover, the rate of joint exceedance is higher than the rate of T-w and O-3 themselves.
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Toon Vandyck, Sebastian Rauner, Jon Sampedro, Elisa Lanzi, Lara Aleluia Reis, Marco Springmann, Rita Van Dingenen
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance societies place on healthy lives, and leveraging this can drive a more central role for human health in policy-making processes, thereby accelerating sustainable transformations in energy and food systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sanghyuk Bae, Youn-Hee Lim, Jongmin Oh, Ho-Jang Kwon
Summary: This study examined the mediation of ozone on the association between temperature and daily mortality, and estimated the excess mortality due to climate change. The findings revealed that increased temperature led to higher ozone concentration, which in turn affected daily mortality. Both direct and indirect effects of temperature and ozone were found to contribute to excess deaths.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Matthew A. Borg, Jianjun Xiang, Olga Anikeeva, Dino Pisaniello, Alana Hansen, Kerstin Zander, Keith Dear, Malcolm R. Sim, Peng Bi
Summary: This review highlights the substantial global economic burden of occupational heat stress, indicating the need for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies to minimize future costs. Analyzing heat-attributable occupational costs may guide the development of workplace heat management policies and practices as part of global warming strategies.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jingwen Liu, Blesson M. Varghese, Alana Hansen, Jianjun Xiang, Ying Zhang, Keith Dear, Michelle Gourley, Timothy Driscoll, Geoffrey Morgan, Anthony Capon, Peng Bi
Summary: This systematic review aimed to summarize the epidemiological evidence on the effects of high ambient temperatures and heatwaves on mental health-related mortality and morbidity. The study found associations between heat exposures and various mental health outcomes, with varying effects observed depending on the definition of heatwaves. Subgroup analyses revealed heterogeneity in the effects of heat exposure on different populations.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael Xiaoliang Tong, Berhanu Yazew Wondmagegn, Jianjun Xiang, Susan Williams, Alana Hansen, Keith Dear, Dino Pisaniello, Jianguo Xiao, Le Jian, Ben Scalley, Monika Nitschke, John Nairn, Hilary Bambrick, Jonathan Karnon, Peng Bi
Summary: This study evaluated heat-attributable emergency department visits and healthcare costs in Perth, Australia and projected future health and economic burdens under different climate change scenarios. The findings indicate that future heat-related healthcare costs will increase in Perth, posing a challenge to the healthcare system and population health.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Berhanu Y. Wondmagegn, Jianjun Xiang, Keith Dear, Susan Williams, Alana Hansen, Dino Pisaniello, Monika Nitschke, John Nairn, Ben Scalley, Blesson M. Varghese, Alex Xiao, Le Jian, Michael Tong, Hilary Bambrick, Jonathan Karnon, Peng Bi
Summary: This study examined the impact of heatwaves on emergency department (ED) presentations and costs in Adelaide, South Australia during the warm seasons of 2014-2017. The results showed that heatwaves significantly increased ED presentations and costs, with tailored interventions for vulnerable populations suggested to reduce the health impacts and cost burden.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Berhanu Y. Wondmagegn, Jianjun Xiang, Keith Dear, Susan Williams, Alana Hansen, Dino Pisaniello, Monika Nitschke, John Nairn, Ben Scalley, Alex Xiao, Le Jian, Michael Tong, Hilary Bambrick, Jonathan Karnon, Peng Bi
Summary: This study examines the relationship between daily mean temperature and hospital admissions, length of hospital stay, and costs, estimating baseline temperature-attributable hospital admissions and costs, as well as projecting increases under warmer climate scenarios. The findings suggest a substantial impact of temperature on hospital admissions, lengths of stay, and costs, with potential for further increases with climate change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Allergy
Raymond James Mullins, Keith B. G. Dear, Mimi L. K. Tang
Summary: While overall rates of food anaphylaxis continue to increase, there is evidence of a slowed rate of increase in the age groups of 1-14 years after the introduction of updated infant feeding and allergy prevention guidelines. However, the rates of increase have accelerated in those younger than 1 year and in the age groups older than 15 years.
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Berhanu Yazew Wondmagegn, Jianjun Xiang, Keith Dear, Susan Williams, Alana Hansen, Dino Pisaniello, Monika Nitschke, John Nairn, Ben Scalley, Alex Xiao, Le Jian, Michael Tong, Hilary Bambrick, Jonathan Karnon, Peng Bi
Summary: Exposure to extreme temperatures is associated with increased emergency department visits and costs. This study in Adelaide, South Australia, finds that heat-related emergency department visits and costs are projected to increase in the future due to climate change. Planning health service resources will be necessary to address this issue.
OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Parasitology
Yohannes Tefera Damtew, Michael Tong, Blesson Mathew Varghese, Alana Hansen, Jingwen Liu, Keith Dear, Ying Zhang, Geoffrey Morgan, Tim Driscoll, Tony Capon, Peng Bi
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of temperature on the transmission of Ross River virus (RRV) infection. The results showed a positive association between temperature and the risk of RRV infection, although the risk varied across different climate zones, temperature metrics, and lag periods. The study emphasized the importance of considering local and regional climate, socio-demographic, and environmental factors in future research to better understand vulnerability at local and regional levels.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Monika Nitschke, David Simon, Keith Dear, Kamalesh Venugopal, Hubertus Jersmann, Katrina Lyne
Summary: This study examined the relationship between different types of pollen (grasses, trees, weeds) and cardiovascular, lower respiratory, and COPD health outcomes using 15 years of data collected in Adelaide, South Australia.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael Tong, Berhanu Wondmagegn, Jianjun Xiang, Alana Hansen, Keith Dear, Dino Pisaniello, Blesson Varghese, Jianguo Xiao, Le Jian, Benjamin Scalley, Monika Nitschke, John Nairn, Hilary Bambrick, Jonathan Karnon, Peng Bi
Summary: This study aimed to estimate respiratory disease hospitalization costs attributable to ambient temperatures in Australia. The results showed that both cold and hot temperatures increased the overall hospitalization costs for respiratory diseases, although the attributable fractions varied. The future respiratory disease hospitalization costs are predicted to increase, with a potential decrease in the cold attributable fraction and an increase in the heat attributable fraction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jingwen Liu, Alana Hansen, Blesson M. Varghese, Keith Dear, Michael Tong, Vanessa Prescott, Vergil Dolar, Michelle Gourley, Timothy Driscoll, Ying Zhang, Geoffrey Morgan, Anthony Capon, Peng Bi
Summary: With the increasing health risk of high temperature due to climate change, it is important to quantify the scale of the problem. However, estimating the burden of disease (BoD) attributable to high temperature can be challenging due to geographical variations in risk patterns and data accessibility issues. This study presents a methodological framework that refines exposure levels using Koppen-Geiger climate zones and estimates the difference between observed burden and theoretical minimum risk exposure distribution (TMRED). It can be used to estimate burdens across climate zones and enhance the reproducibility and transparency of BoD research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Monika Nitschke, Keith Brian Gordon Dear, Kamalesh Venugopal, Katrina Margaret Rose Lyne, Hubertus Paul Anton Jersmann, David Leslie Simon, Nicola Spurrier
Summary: The aim of this study was to establish the daily risk estimates of the relationships between grass, tree, and weed pollen and asthma health outcomes. The findings showed that there were differences between children and adults in the timing of health effects. Children's asthma outcomes were positively related to grass pollen in May and to weed pollen from February to May. For adults, the health outcomes related to weed pollen were limited to February. Adults were not affected by tree pollen, while children's asthma morbidity was associated with tree pollen in August and September. These results indicate the importance of year-round pollen monitoring and health campaigns to prevent asthma in the community.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthew A. Borg, Jianjun Xiang, Olga Anikeeva, Bertram Ostendorf, Blesson Varghese, Keith Dear, Dino Pisaniello, Alana Hansen, Kerstin Zander, Malcolm R. Sim, Peng Bi
Summary: This study estimated the heatwave-attributable occupational illnesses and injuries (OIIs) and their costs in Australia, and projected the future changes. The results showed that during heatwaves, there was an increased risk of OIIs and costs, especially during extreme heatwaves. Policies aimed at heat adaptation can reduce the incidence and costs of heat-attributable OIIs.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jingwen Liu, Blesson M. Varghese, Alana Hansen, Ying Zhang, Timothy Driscoll, Geoffrey Morgan, Keith Dear, Michelle Gourley, Anthony Capon, Peng Bi
Summary: This study reviews the association between heat exposure and cardiovascular disease outcomes, finding a significant positive correlation between high temperatures/heatwaves and cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Women, individuals aged 65 and older, those living in tropical climates, and individuals in lower-middle income countries are at a higher risk. The findings emphasize the need for evidence-based prevention measures to mitigate the adverse effects of high temperatures on cardiovascular health.
LANCET PLANETARY HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ivan C. Hanigan, Keith B. G. Dear, Alistair Woodward
Summary: The study shows that over the past 51 years, global warming has led to an increase in the ratio of summer to winter mortality in Australia, with a faster increase in years with above-average temperatures. As a result, it is concluded that as temperatures rise, mortality in the hottest and coldest months of the year will gradually converge.
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)