MOOQ - environment

Question 1

When was climate change first mentioned in medical literature?

Answer 1

• 1989.
• ‘Potential Health Effects of Global Climatic and Environmental Changes’ by Alexander Leaf
• Addressed both temp and sea level rises. Despite early warning signs and huge amounts of evidence regarding the effects of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions are >⅓ higher than they were when the article was published.

Question 2

How can the issue of health be used to encourage climate action?

Answer 2

• A powerful reason that climate change action has been sidelined is due to the fact it has not yet had catastrophic immediate results, and it has been seen as a threat to polar bears or ice caps or the people of the future. It has lacked a current human dimension, health must be this human face.

Question 3

What does Professor Gina McCarthy believe about climate change and health?

Answer 3

• Professor Gina McCarthy believes health is important because it is taking science and making it important to people. It is a public health issue.

Question 4

What are health co-benefits?

Answer 4

• Reaping health gains from climate-friendly policies and individual behaviour.

Question 5

What is a recent example of the effects of climate change on health?

Answer 5

• Hot weather inflamed by carbon pollution killed nearly 50,000 people in Europe in 2023, according to a ‘nature medicine’ study.

Question 6

What is the effect of heat on mortality and disease/illness?

Answer 6

• Death from heat exposure is rare. More often, exposure to heat exacerbates existing conditions. Heat can promote dehydration which makes a wide range of diseases worse, including many heart and lung diseases e.g COPD and heart failure, as well as diabetes. Heat can also decrease cognitive function, decreasing productivity.
• The heart, lungs and brain are all highly sensitive to heat and when overheated can fail. Increased mortality during heat waves has been predominantly attributed to failure of these organs.

Question 7

What are common conditions exacerbated/caused by heat?

Answer 7

• During heatwaves, emergency room visits rise for a variety of heat-related conditions such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, heat cramps, dehydration and electrolyte disorders, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, resp disorders, acute renal failure, neurological conditions, and mental illnesses.
• Also foetuses born to women exposed to extreme heat are more likely to develop neural tube and other birth defects.

Question 8

What is one of the main factors affecting a person’s ability to thermoregulate?

Answer 8

• Age
• Older and pre-pubescent people are less able to dissipate heat.

Question 9

What is the effect of ground-level ozone?

Answer 9

• Ozone gas is harmful for lung tissue health, it causes inflammation that especially aggravates existing lung conditions.
• Ozone also decreases the quality of crops, decreasing nutrition.

Question 10

What is PM and why is it dangerous?

Answer 10

• Particulate matter.
• World wide, PM exposure is responsible for millions of deaths, particularly heart attacks and strokes. Also associated with preterm births, lung cancer, and many more diseases. Exposure to air pollution is the 4th highest ranking risk factor for death in the world.

Question 11

What is the effect of temperature on vector-borne diseases?

Answer 11

• Mosquitoes typically cannot reach higher altitude cities, however temperature increases have allowed them to increase their range.
• More extreme rainfall and humidity can also affect mosquito breeding, however they generally thrive in moderate temperatures and rainfall.
• Rainfall is especially associated with dengue.

Question 12

How does malaria affect people globally?

Answer 12

• Every year ~200 million people contract malaria and more than 400,000 (mostly children under 5) die.

Question 13

How will 550ppm CO2 concentrations affect crop’s nutritional values?

Answer 13

Decreases in protein intake translate into nearly 150 million people newly at risk of protein deficiency. Decrease in protein intake due to less nutritious plants will range from <2% to >6% in the worst affected areas.

Reduced zinc content of food crops also will place an additional 140 million people at risk of deficiency with 500ppm carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere

Question 14

How can high nitrate concentrations (>10mg/L) affect young children?

Answer 14

• Can cause acquired methaemoglobinaemia, which prevents haemoglobin from dissociating with oxygen.
• Therefore oxygen is not effectively delivered to the body’s tissues.
• Symptoms include hypoxia, dizziness, nausea and poor muscle coordination.

Question 15

How can high nitrate concentrations (>10mg/L) affect cancer risk?

Answer 15

• ## Higher concentrations of nitrates in drinking water are associated with a higher risk for colorectal cancer.

Question 16

In what percentage of England’s waterways do nitrate levels exceed 50 mg/L?

Answer 16

• 35% due to agricultural run-off.

Question 17

How can climate change effect air quality?

Answer 17

• Stagnation periods caused by hot temperatures.
• Use of air conditioning.

Question 19

What diseases may increase in prevalence?

Answer 19

• Tick-borne diseases
• Mosquito-borne diseases

Question 20

How might flooding affect water quality?

Answer 20

• Periods of heavy rainfall and flooding mean water processing facilities can empty sewage directly into rivers.
• Risk of algal blooms.