World Health Day: Latest articles that address impact of climate change on human health

This year’s World Health Day, a WHO campaign, focuses on the theme of “our planet, our health” to draw attention to ways in which the health of the planet affects human health and well-being.

Because a polluted planet causes greater incidence of diseases such as cancer, asthma and heart disease — with 13 million deaths worldwide each year attributable to avoidable environmental causes, according to WHO estimates — the organization called for global attention and urgent actions to address planetary health.

To acknowledge World Health Day, Healio compiled this list of the latest research on how climate change impacts human health and what clinicians can do to help address this issue.

WHO calls for action as unhealthy air quality impacts 99% of global population

As an announcement prior to World Health Day, WHO updated its air quality database to include ground measurements of annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, as well as measurements of particulate matter with diameters equal to or smaller than 10 m or 2.5 m. Read more.

Earlier, longer pollen seasons due to climate change expected to impact allergy, asthma

Study results show that increasing temperatures as part of climate change will lead to earlier and longer pollen seasons by the end of the century, impacting allergy and asthma outcomes. Read more.

Climate change cited as cause of recent increases in asthma, allergy prevalence

Marc E. Rothenberg

The effects of climate change may be responsible for recent increases in asthma and allergy disorder prevalence, spectrum and severity, Marc E. Rothenberg, MD, PhD, director of the division of allergy and immunology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, wrote in an editorial published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Read more.

Climate change is progressing faster than expected, threatening human health

The environmental and societal impacts of climate change are progressing more rapidly than previously expected, nearing limits to what society can feasibly adapt to, according to a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Read more.

Q&A: Allergists can take action to address the health impact of climate change

Joy Hsu

Healio spoke with Joy Hsu, MD, MSc, FAAAAI, a medical officer with the Asthma and Community Health Branch of the CDC’s Division of Environmental Science and Practice at the National Center for Environmental Health, about a CDC report that outlines guidance and resources to help clinicians communicate with their patients to improve prevention and treatment strategies, mitigating the effects climate change may have on their health. Read more.

Switching to dry-powder inhaler cut carbon footprint without loss of asthma control

Patients with asthma who switched from a metered-dose inhaler to a dry-powder inhaler cut their inhaler carbon footprint by more than half, without loss of asthma control, according to data published in Thorax. Read more.

Air pollution levels linked to 16% of pediatric asthma cases globally

Combustion-related nitrogen dioxide pollution appeared to significantly contribute to pediatric asthma incidence globally, particularly in urban areas, according to data published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Read more.

Air pollution may impact timing of asthma seasons

The traditional calendar dates for spring, summer, winter and fall did not correlate with asthma seasons, which often are driven by air pollution, according to research conducted in South Carolina and published in PLOS One. Read more.

Ragweed pollen season worsens in Ukraine

Trends associated with global warming have made ragweed pollen seasons worse in Ukraine, according to a study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting. Read more.

Climate change directly, indirectly impacts allergy, asthma outcomes

Climate change can affect the frequency and severity of asthma and allergies, especially among vulnerable populations, according to an article published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Read more.

Reference:

• WHO: World Health Day 2022. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2022. Accessed April 7, 2022.