US Climate and Health Alliance

Climate Change and Public Health Policy: Translating the Science

Abstract

Public health authorities are required to prepare for future threats and need predictions of the likely impact of climate change on public health risks. They may get overwhelmed by the volume of heterogeneous information in scientific articles and risk relying purely on the public opinion articles which focus mainly on global warming trends, and leave out many other relevant factors. In the current paper, we discuss various scientific approaches investigating climate change and its possible impact on public health and discuss their different roles and functions in unraveling the complexity of the subject. It is not our objective to review the available literature or to make predictions for certain diseases or countries, but rather to evaluate the applicability of scientific research articles on climate change to evidence-based public health decisions. In the context of mosquito borne diseases, we identify common pitfalls to watch out for when assessing scientific research on the impact of climate change on human health. We aim to provide guidance through the plethora of scientific papers and views on the impact of climate change on human health to those new to the subject, as well as to remind public health experts of its multifactorial and multidisciplinary character.

Resource Type
Peer-reviewed article
Authors
Marieta Braks Rijk van Ginkel William Wint Luigi Sedda Hein Sprong
Resource URL
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/1/13/htm
Publication
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal Abbr.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
13-29
Date
Jan 2014
DOI
10.3390/ijerph110100013
ISSN
1660-4601
Short Title
Climate change and public health policy
Organization Type
Academic
Health and Human Impacts
Infectious disease Vector-borne disease
Solutions
Climate adaptation/resilience Public health/health sector response
Other
US policy Policy United states

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