MGH Guides: Climate Change and Health: Home

Data and Fact Sheets

"Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health stressors, influences human health and disease in numerous ways. Some existing health threats will intensify and new health threats will emerge. Not everyone is equally at risk. Important considerations include age, economic resources, and location.

In the U.S., public health can be affected by disruptions of physical, biological, and ecological systems, including disturbances originating here and elsewhere. The health effects of these disruptions include increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, injuries and premature deaths related to extreme weather events, changes in the prevalence and geographical distribution of food- and water-borne illnesses and other infectious diseases, and threats to mental health." (CDC Climate Effects on Health)

Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Climate Change and Human Health
The latest news and publications on climate change and its impact on health.
National Center for Environmental Information
Find information on monthly climate reports, national trends, daily weather records and more.
Climate Change and Global Warming (NASA)
Learn about the evidence, causes, effects, and solutions for climate change (NASA).
Climate Change Data
Climate Change and Health- Statistics & Facts
Provides graphs, charts, and other figures about climate change including how the world has changed, pollutants, and more.

Organizations, Agencies, and Programs

Center for Climate Change and Health
This organization is works on addressing the problems caused by climate change, while also looking to ensure that there are healthy communities that have access to the resources they need throughout the US and the world.
CDC: Climate Change and Public Health
This CDC website provides an overview of how climate change can affect health, as well as addresses specific areas: air pollution, allergens, disease carried by vectors, food and waterborne diarrheal disease, food security, mental health and stress-related disorders, floods, extreme temperatures, and wildfires.
U.S. Global Change Research Program
Provides an overview of how climate change affects human health, covering the topics of: climate change and human health, temperature-related death and illness, air quality impacts, extreme events, vector-borne diseases, water-related illness, food safety, nutrition, and distribution, mental health and well-being, and populations of concern.
Center for Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health
The MGH Institute's interprofessional center for examining the intersections of climate change, justice, and health.

Health Effects

Online Resources

NIH National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Looks at the health impacts of climate change to human health covering a broad range of topics. Also, it includes topics on how climate affects children's health and initiatives in environmental science that affect health.

Evidence

Congress and Health Advocates Can Build a Climate Change-Adapted Health Sector.
Moulton, A. D. (2021). Congress and Health Advocates Can Build a Climate Change-Adapted Health Sector. American Journal of Public Health, 111(4), 568–570. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306172
Role of Health Professionals Regarding the Impact of Climate Change on Health-An Exploratory Review.
Dupraz, J., & Burnand, B. (2021). Role of Health Professionals Regarding the Impact of Climate Change on Health-An Exploratory Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063222
Global climate change and human health: Pathways and possible solutions
Zhao, Q., Yu, P., Mahendran, R., Huang, W., Gao, Y., Yang, Z., Ye, T., Wen, B., Wu, Y., Li, S., & Guo, Y. (2022). Global climate change and human health: Pathways and possible solutions. Eco-Environment & Health, 1(2), 53–62. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.eehl.2022.04.004
A hot topic at the environment–health nexus: investigating the impact of climate change on infectious diseases
Grobusch, L. C., & Grobusch, M. P. (2022). A hot topic at the environment–health nexus: investigating the impact of climate change on infectious diseases. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 116, 7–9. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.12.350

eBooks/Reports

Climate change, HHS could take further steps to enhance understanding of public health risks : report to congressional requesters.
The United States Government Accountability Office reviewed how the government is increasing efforts to prepare for the potential public health problems that could arise from climate change. This report looks at 3 areas of government efforts: promoting understanding about the health risks and challenges posed by climate change, the resources used to address these risks, and the challenges faced by public health systems and how they can be addressed.
The impacts of climate change on human health in the United States : a scientific assessment, executive summary
This reports provides a comprehensive and evidence-based summary about current and projected health-related effects of climate change.

Journal

Global Change and Human Health
This journal looks at the changes impacting the environment and its effect on the population's health.

Graphics

American Psychiatric Association: Climate Change and Mental Health Connections

CDC: Climate Change and Health

American Public Health Association: How Climate Change Affects Your Health

Low-Income Populations

Online Resources

The Kresge Foundation
This foundation aims to work on equitable climate action to address the needs of low-income neighborhoods in America's cities through health practitioners and other health institutions.
Three Big Ways Cities can Protect Low-Income Residents from Climate Change
This article provides information about making economic opportunities, disaster preparedness, and access to clean energy a high priority for low income residents in cities.
Why Climate Change and Poverty Are Inextricably Linked
This article discusses the relationship between poverty and climate change, looking at topics like climate refugees, food and water scarcity, air pollution, and endangered livelihoods.

Evidence

Climate change, famine, and low-income communities challenge Sustainable Development Goals.
Balasubramanian, M. (2018). Climate change, famine, and low-income communities challenge Sustainable Development Goals. The Lancet. Planetary Health, 2(10), e421–e422.
Put equity first in climate adaptation.
Pelling, M., & Garschagen, M. (2019). Put equity first in climate adaptation. Nature, 569(7756), 327–329.
Increased labor losses and decreased adaptation potential in a warmer world.
Parsons, L. A., Shindell, D., Tigchelaar, M., Zhang, Y., & Spector, J. T. (2021). Increased labor losses and decreased adaptation potential in a warmer world. Nature Communications, 12(1), 7286. https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27328-y

Children

Online Resources

AAP-- Climate Change and Children's Health
An American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) webpage about the effects of climate change on children's health, information for pediatricians, and additional resources.
Climate Change Poses Threats to Children’s Health Worldwide
A 2019 news article about how climate change will affect children, based off of recently published research.
UNICEF-- Climate Change and Children
A publication about how climate change affects children, including topics such as natural disasters, disease, water, etc.

Evidence

Enlisting the power of youth for climate change.
Bandura, A., & Cherry, L. (2020). Enlisting the power of youth for climate change. American Psychologist, 75(7), 945–951. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000512
The developmental roots of environmental stewardship: Childhood and the climate change crisis
Hahn, E. R. (2021). The developmental roots of environmental stewardship: Childhood and the climate change crisis. Current Opinion in Psychology, 42, 19–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.01.006
Climate change and child health: a scoping review and an expanded conceptual framework
Helldén, D., Andersson, C., Nilsson, M., Ebi, K. L., Friberg, P., & Alfvén, T. (2021). Climate change and child health: a scoping review and an expanded conceptual framework. The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(3), e164–e175. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30274-6
The experiences of parents raising children in times of climate change: Towards a caring research agenda
Gaziulusoy, A. İ. (2020). The experiences of parents raising children in times of climate change: Towards a caring research agenda. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2020.100017

eBooks

Climate Change and Rural Child Health by Erica Bell; Bastian M. Seidel; Joav Merrick
ISBN: 9781611226409
Publication Date: 2011-01-01
Over the past 60 years, the world has seen gradual and hard-won progress in reducing child mortality and improving the lives of opportunities of children. Some of this is attributable to medical science, much of it to simple but effective public health measures. Even though 24,000 children continue to die each day from preventable causes, this represents a dramatic improvement, and progress continues to be made. Climate change threatens to undo all of this progress, and wipe out the gains of decades. The threat of rising sea levels, the potential loss of productive farmland and the potential threat to water supplies are all profound concerns, and threaten the well-being of children and communities around the world. This book examines the connection between climate action and the future of childrens' health.

Sustainable Healthcare

Online Resources

Health Care Without Harm
This organization aims to make health care more environmentally friendly, and looks at aspects such as toxic waste, the use of chemicals, food and water safety, transportation, and much more.
Practice Greenhealth
AN organization that aims to provide sustainable solutions for healthcare. Solutions involve the use of energy and water, as well as eliminating harmful chemicals, making sustainable facilities, use of energy, and the sustainable procurement of supplies.

Evidence

Education for sustainable healthcare: Leadership to get from here to there.
McKimm, J., Redvers, N., El Omrani, O., Parkes, M. W., Elf, M., & Woollard, R. (2020). Education for sustainable healthcare: Leadership to get from here to there. Medical Teacher, 42(10), 1123–1127. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2020.1795104
Why use indicators to measure and monitor the inclusion of climate change and environmental sustainability in health professions' education?
Madden, D. L., McLean, M., Brennan, M., & Moore, A. (2020). Why use indicators to measure and monitor the inclusion of climate change and environmental sustainability in health professions’ education? Medical Teacher, 42(10), 1119–1122. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2020.1795106
Barriers to environmentally sustainable initiatives in oral health care clinical settings.
de Leon, M. L. (2020). Barriers to environmentally sustainable initiatives in oral health care clinical settings. Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene, 54(3), 156–160.

Community Health Collection

Borrow from the Library

Climate Change
Call Number: Poster 69
Climate Change, Allergies & You
Call Number: Poster 92
Climate Change, Asthma & You (juvenile)
Call Number: Poster 93
Climate Change, Asthma & You
Call Number: Poster 94
Climate Change: Causes and Effects
Call Number: Poster 70
Climate Change, Heat & You
Call Number: Poster 95
Climate Change & Heart Health
Call Number: Poster 91