Climate influence the occurrences of diseases throughout the globe. It does not only localize some diseases within some regions in the globe, but also create barriers in the prevalence of others. The purpose of this paper is to establish an argument linking between global climate variations and health.
Health Concerns Related to Global Climate Change
Primarily, climate is imperative in determining the environmental and biological composition of an area. A concept known as “survival for the fittest” articulates that only the organisms surviving harsh conditions are able to stay alive and perpetuate (Holtz, 2013). Consequently, it follows that climate is among the significant determinants of the surviving species. For instance, the differences in summer and winter are clear.
They may be barriers to the development and growth of pathogenic micro-organism. In essence, low temperatures may create a suitable environment for the survival of some pathogenic microorganisms such as the causative agent of common cold. On the other hand, the ideal supposition is that some pathogens act under the normal RTP conditions. In a broad perspective, changes in climate can lead to direct death caused by such case where people are swept by fast-moving water or come in contact with water-borne and air-borne pathogens. It is also apparent that climate affects the agricultural productions of most undeveloped nations. In this regard, drought after extreme rains and/or high temperatures may deteriorate the health of the poor people relying on farming to survive.
It has been argued that the persistence of the current trajectory of climate changes may elevate health risks to critical levels. The main impacts of climate changes may be direct, mediated by climate-associated variations, and/or caused by the indirect factors arising from poverty, displacement, and conflicts among others.
The various researches conducted to evaluate the effects of climate change on human health shows related outcomes. For instance, Buckley and Richardson (2012) performed a crossover research to establish whether seasons were the factors leading to deviations of adult patients admitted in hospitals. The researchers managed to collect data through the surveillance of emergency admission throughout a state. The data was analyzed through conditional logistic regression of the calculated monthly findings of temperature and admissions. The relationships between temperature and asthma were positive on the basis of seasons.
They concluded that the temperature increased the rates of asthma admittance if other factors were held at their constants. This study shows the differences of the tropical regions when compared to the areas near the poles. It is, therefore, true to state that some diseases are marginalized. This marginalization affects the strategies of discovering the appropriate drugs against the evolving pathogens as some infections are not persistent in the changing climate (Hunter, Denman-Vilale, Garzon, Allen, & Schumann, 2007).
On the other hand, the public health services manage to use climate as a target against an invading health problem (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014). For instance, some diseases that arise during summer slip away when winter sets in. In this respect, the public health is alert to handle expected cases when the climate changes. The practitioners can implement readiness approaches through creating awareness and holding training programs for the public.
U.S.A Comparison
Like many other developed countries, such as Britain, the United States has significant strategies to curb the effects of changes in climate. For instances, the settlement plans have elaborate allotment of land in secure places where floods cannot lead to displacement. However, most developing countries like Rwanda have poor settlement schemes as well as drainage systems where people are displaced by climate changes after some time.
In Europe, the waves of heat caused 70000 deaths in 2003 (Arnell, 2004). It is argued that the ozone level rises as well as other pollutants causing respiratory infections. Furthermore, the high temperature boosts the content of aeroallergens that trigger asthma affecting three hundred million people globally. Developing countries experience 60000 deaths annually from changes in rainfall patterns. Essentially, these conditions result in adverse effects where hospitals are affected and the nursing practices paralyzed. In fact, this vice causes 600000 deaths of children in relation to consumption of contaminated water (Hunter et al., 2007).
The most pertinent cause of these differences between the U.S.A and other nations is strategic management incorporating the changes in climate. It is a wealthy nation with capabilities to fund research aimed at controlling diseases within its sparse population.
Summary
It is apparent that changes in climate have significant effects to the health of people throughout the globe. Essentially, protective strategies must be implemented to reduce the effects of these changes. Moreover, some diseases infect people from specified locations since they are suited to survive in the conditions of these areas. However, others can infect people throughout the globe regardless of the prevailing climate. The BSN nurses perform the duties of identifying hazards that arise due to these climate changes and provide the care treatment required.
References
Arnell N. (2004). Climate change and global water resources: SRES emissions and socio-economic scenarios. Global Environmental Change, 14(2), 31–52.
Buckley, J. & Richardson, D. (2012). Seasonal modification of the association between temperature and adult emergency department visits for asthma: a case-crossover study. Environmental Health, 11(55), 1-6.
Holtz, C. (2013). Global health care: Issues and policies (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
Hunter, A., Denman-Vilale, S., Garzon, L., Allen, P., & Schumann L. (2007). Global infections: Recognition, Management, and Prevention. The Nurse Practitioner, 1(3), 35-41.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2014). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (8th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby Elsevier.