Resolution: S-20-14: ADDRESSING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON NATIONAL HEALTH

[Valerie Lile]

1  WHEREAS, rising average temperatures will lead to increased frequency and longevity of heat waves²;
2  and

3  WHEREAS, these environmental changes will translate to poorer health outcomes in the United
4  States—projections show, within the next 80 years, additional deaths due to climate change may reach
5  up to tens of thousands per year¹; and

6  WHEREAS, these deaths will not be offset by a smaller reduction in cold-related deaths in winter
7  months¹; and

8  WHEREAS, exposure to extreme heat can lead to heat stroke and dehydration, as well as
9  cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular disease,⁴; and

10  WHEREAS, certain patient populations have impaired heat regulatory functions: young children,
11  pregnant women, the elderly, and persons with inherent medical conditions and/or disabilities; and will,
12  therefore, be more vulnerable to extreme heat¹; and

13  WHEREAS, climate change is projected to increase the vulnerability of urban populations to heat-
14  related health impacts in the future¹; and

15  WHEREAS, metropolitan areas such as St. Louis, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Cincinnati have already
16  seen notable increases in death rates during heat waves²; and

17  WHEREAS, warmer temperatures are associated with periods of stagnant air, leading to increases in air
18  pollution and associated health effects2: asthma attacks and other respiratory and cardiovascular health
19  effects¹: and

20  WHEREAS, wildfires, which are expected to continue to increase in number and severity as the climate
21  changes, create smoke and other air pollutants¹: and

22  WHEREAS, despite significant improvements in U.S. air quality since the 1970s, as of 2014 about 57
23  million Americans lived in counties that did not meet national air quality standards⁵; and

24  WHEREAS, scientists predict warmer temperatures from climate change will increase the frequency of
25  days with unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant, and a component in smog¹;
26  and

27  WHEREAS, people exposed to higher levels of ground-level ozone are at greater risk of dying
28  prematurely or being admitted to the hospital for respiratory problems¹; and

29  WHEREAS, ground-level ozone can damage lung tissue, reduce lung function, and inflame airways:
30  increasing national incidences of asthma or other lung diseases¹;

31  WHEREAS, children, older adults, outdoor workers, and those with asthma and other chronic lung
32  diseases are particularly at risk⁵; and

1  WHEREAS, warm, stagnant air tends to increase the formation of ozone, therefore, climate change is
2  likely to increase levels of ground-level ozone in already-polluted areas of the United States, thereby
3  further decreasing air quality¹; and

4  WHEREAS, the higher concentrations of ozone due to climate change may result in tens to thousands
5  of additional ozone-related illnesses and premature deaths per year by 2030 in the United States,
6  assuming no change in projected air quality policies¹; and

7  WHEREAS, climate-related changes in stagnant air episodes, wind patterns, emissions from vegetation
8  and the chemistry of atmospheric pollutants will also affect particulate matter levels¹; and

9  WHEREAS, inhaling fine particles can lead to a broad range of adverse health effects, including lung
10  cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular disease¹; and

11  WHEREAS, allergic illnesses, including hay fever, affects roughly one-third of the U.S. population, and
12  more than 34 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma¹; and

13  WHEREAS, pollen season in the United States is occurring earlier and increasing in season duration;
14  especially for vegetation with highly allergenic pollen, such as ragweed¹; and

15  WHEREAS, rising carbon dioxide concentrations and temperatures may also lead to earlier flowering,
16  more flowers, and increased pollen levels in ragweed,⁴; and

17  WHEREAS, increases in the frequency or severity of some extreme weather events, such as extreme
18  precipitation, flooding, droughts, and storms, threaten the health of people during and after the event¹;
19  and

20  WHEREAS, extreme environmental events caused by climate change can affect human health by
21  damaging roads and bridges, disrupting access to hospitals and pharmacies¹; and

22  WHEREAS, extreme environmental events caused by climate change can affect human health by
23  interrupting communication, utility, and access to health care services¹; and

24  WHEREAS, extreme environmental events caused by climate change can affect human health by
25  reducing the availability of food and drinking water¹; and

26  WHEREAS, runoff and flooding resulting from increased precipitation, hurricane rainfall, and storm
27  surge will increasingly contaminate water bodies used for recreation (such as lakes and beaches),
28  shellfish harvesting waters, and sources of drinking water¹; and

29  WHEREAS, health impacts may include gastrointestinal illness, negative effects on the body’s nervous
30  and respiratory systems, or liver and kidney damage¹; and

31  WHEREAS, extreme weather events and storm surges can damage or exceed the capacity of water
32  infrastructure (such as drinking water or wastewater treatment plants), increasing the risk that people
33  will be exposed to contaminants¹; and

1  WHEREAS, extreme environmental events caused by climate change can affect human health by
2  contributing to carbon monoxide poisoning from improper use of portable electric generators during
3  and after storms¹; and

4  WHEREAS, changes in temperature and precipitation, as well as droughts and floods, will affect
5  agricultural yields and production; leading to reduced agricultural output and increasing incidences of
6  malnutrition in the United States⁷; and

7  WHEREAS, higher air temperatures can increase cases of Salmonella and other bacteria-related food
8  poisoning because bacteria grow more rapidly in warm environments. These diseases can cause
9  gastrointestinal distress and, in severe cases, death¹; and

10  WHEREAS, climate change will have a variety of impacts that may increase the risk of exposure to
11  chemical contaminants in food¹; and

12  WHEREAS, higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air can act as a “fertilizer” for some plants,
13  but lowers the levels of protein and essential minerals in crops such as wheat, rice, and potatoes,
14  making these foods less nutritious¹; and

15  WHEREAS, extreme environmental events caused by climate change can affect human health by
16  creating or worsening mental health impacts such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder
17  (PTSD)¹; and

18  WHEREAS, individuals with mental illness are especially vulnerable to extreme heat; studies have
19  found that having a pre-existing mental illness tripled the risk of death during heat waves¹; and

20  WHEREAS, the perceived threat of climate change (from news sources and/or social media) can
21  influence stress responses and mental health¹; and

22  WHEREAS, some groups of people are at higher risk for mental health impacts, such as children and
23  older adults, pregnant and postpartum women, people with pre-existing mental illness, people with low
24  incomes, and emergency workers¹; and

25  WHEREAS, the geographic range of ticks that carry Lyme disease is limited by temperature¹; and

26  WHEREAS, as air temperatures rise, ticks are likely to become active earlier in the season, and their
27  range is likely to continue to expand northward¹; and

28  WHEREAS, the risks for climate-sensitive diseases can be much higher in poorer communities with
29  fewer resources to prevent and treat illness⁶; and

30  WHEREAS, communities of color (including Indigenous communities as well as specific racial and
31  ethnic groups), low income, immigrants, and limited English proficiency face disproportionate
32  vulnerabilities due to a wide variety of factors, such as higher risk of exposure, socioeconomic and
33  educational factors that affect their adaptive capacity, and a higher prevalence of medical conditions
34  that affect their sensitivity¹; and

35  WHEREAS, children are vulnerable to many health risks due to biological sensitivities and more
36  opportunities for exposure (due to activities such as playing outdoors)¹; and

1  WHEREAS, pregnant women are vulnerable to heat waves and other extreme events, like flooding¹;
2  and

3  WHEREAS, older adults are vulnerable to many of the impacts of climate change¹; and

4  WHEREAS, occupational groups, such as outdoor workers, paramedics, firefighters, and
5  transportation workers, as well as workers in hot indoor work environments, will be especially
6  vulnerable to extreme heat and exposure to vector borne diseases¹; and

7  WHEREAS, people with chronic medical conditions are typically vulnerable to extreme heat, especially
8  if they are taking medications that make it difficult to regulate body temperature¹; and

9  WHEREAS, there must be a just transition for all communities and workers to ensure economic
10  security for people and communities that have historically relied on fossil fuel industry; and

11  WHEREAS, there must be justice and equity for frontline communities by prioritizing investment,
12  training, climate and community resiliency, economic and environmental benefits in these communities;
13  and now therefore be it

14  RESOLVED, that the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) ask for the American
15  Osteopathic Association (AOA) recognizes climate change as a public health crisis, and be it further

16  RESOLVED, that SOMA ask for the AOA to publicly endorse for legislation that includes provisions
17  such as a plan to create an ecologically-friendly economy and infrastructure; and be it further

18  RESOLVED, that SOMA ask the AOA to join the U.S. Call to Action.

Link to sign in: https://climatehealthaction.org/cta/climate-health-equity-policy/

Explanatory Statement

The US Call to Action is an organization that calls “on government, business, and civil society leaders, elected officials, and candidates for office to recognize climate change as a health emergency and to work across government agencies and with communities and businesses to prioritize action on this Climate, Health and Equity Policy Action Agenda.”

 

References

1.   USGCRP (2016). Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment. Crimmins, A., J. Balbus, J.L. Gamble, C.B. Beard, J.E. Bell, D. Dodgen, R.J. Eisen, N.Fann, M.D. Hawkins, S.C. Herring, L. Jantarasami, D.M. Mills, S. Saha, M.C. Sarofim, J.Trtanj, and L.Ziska, Eds. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC. 312 pp. dx.doi.org/10.7930/J0R49NQX.
2.   USGCRP (2016). Luber, G., K. Knowlton, J. Balbus, H. Frumkin, M. Hayden, J. Hess, M. McGeehin, N. Sheats, L. Backer, C. B. Beard, K. L. Ebi, E. Maibach, R. S. Ostfeld, C. Wiedinmyer, E. Zielinski-Gutiérrez, and L. Ziska, 2014: Ch. 9: Human Health. Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment, J. M. Melillo, Terese (T.C.) Richmond, and G. W. Yohe, Eds., U.S. Global Change Research Program, 220-256. doi:10.7930/J0PN93H5.
3.   USGCRP (2009). Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. Karl, T.R., J.M. Melillo, and T.C. Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA.
4.   CCSP (2008). Analyses of the effects of global change on human health and welfare and human systems. A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. Gamble, J.L. (ed.), K.L. Ebi, F.G. Sussman, T.J. Wilbanks, (Authors). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA.
5.   EPA (2014). Air Quality Trends. Accessed March 1, 2016.
6.   IPCC (2014). Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 151 p. (PDF, 80 pp, 4.6MB).
7.   USDA (2015). Climate Change, Global Food Security, and the U.S. Food System. Brown, M.E., J.M. Antle, P. Backlund, E.R. Carr, W.E. Easterling, M.K. Walsh, C. Ammann, W. Attavanich, C.B. Barrett, M.F. Bellemare, V. Dancheck, C. Funk, K. Grace, J.S.I. Ingram, H. Jiang, H. Maletta, T. Mata, A. Murray, M. Ngugi, D. Ojima, B. O’Neill, and C. Tebaldi, 146 p

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Submitted by:

Yara Khalifa, OMS II – Nova Southeastern University- Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
Taylor Smith, OMS II- Nova Southeastern University- Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Action Taken:
Date:
Effective Time Period: Ongoing

[Salman Syed<br>NYITCOM]

I truly believe that climate change is one of the biggest challenge our generation is facing and we need to do a lot more so our future generations could feel proud of us when they will go back in history.
Public awareness, is another challenge where I believe we are struggling, Climate change is not the problem of USA alone its a global problem, but being the leader of free world USA has greater responsibility. In the recent years, due to the rise of right wing politics particularly in USA and generally around the globe, has done enough damage to this cause, one example is US , getting out gf PARIS
ACCORD. We do not do politics on things of our survival. Similarly, as in case of COVID 19, we see people believe more on scientists, than on politicians, my point is we need to involve more physicians,
and professionals in order to increase public awareness, Please, it’s not a hoax, its issue of mankind survival.

[Author]

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