Globally, drought impacts more people than any other natural hazard. However, drought is also the most complex natural hazard, and its impacts are not evenly distributed across the landscape or among human populations. Just as the impacts of drought vary, so do the coping strategies used by people during drought. The research to-date on drought coping strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa are highly quantitative, focused on top-down interventions, and do not emphasize individual perceptions, experience, and autonomous decision-making when coping with drought. This paper aims to fill these gaps by examining the human experience of coping with drought through narratives from farmers in Burat and Kinna, Isiolo County, Kenya. This paper highlights (1) their perceived impacts of drought, and (2) the various coping strategies used. A total of 83 interviews were conducted in 20 households. Results found that the perceived impacts of drought were decreased agricultural productivity, livestock hunger, death, and relocation, a lack of water in rivers, human hunger and disease, and violent conflict. The strategies for coping with drought included changing agricultural practices, adopting irrigation, relying on aid, charcoal burning, casual labor, livelihood diversification, and others. Importantly, these coping strategies can be classified into four categories: livelihood diversification, longer-term livelihood strategies, short-term coping activities, and erosive coping strategies. This research contributes to the effort to better document and understand farmers? perceptions and strategies to cope with drought through qualitative research methods and from the perspective of the individual smallholder farmer, which is important for making context-specific policy and project recommendations aimed at smallholder farmers.
The aim of this study is to simulate the impact of mineral dust emissions from the Sahel-Saharan zone on temperature extremes over the Sahel. To achieve this goal, we performed two numerical simulations: one with the standard version of the regional climate model RegCM4 (no dust run) and another one with the same version of this model incorporating a dust module (dust run). The difference between both versions of the model allowed to isolate the impacts of mineral dust emissions on temperature extremes. The results show that the accumulation of mineral dust into the atmosphere leads to a decrease of the frequency of warm days, very warm days, and warm nights over the Sahel. This decrease is higher during the MAM (March-April-May) and JJA (June-July-August) periods especially in the northern and western parts of the Sahel. The impact of the mineral dust emissions is also manifested by a decrease of the frequency of tropical nights especially during MAM in the northern Sahel. When considering the warm spells, mineral particles tend to weaken them especially in MAM and JJA in the northern Sahel. To estimate the potential impacts of the mineral dust accumulation on heat stress, the heat index and the humidex are used. The analysis of the heat index shows that the dust impact is to reduce the health risks particularly in the northern Sahel during the MAM period, in the western Sahel during JJA, and in the southern and the northeastern parts of the Sahel during the SON (September-October-November) period. As for the humidex, it is characterized by a decrease especially in the northern Sahel for all seasons. This reduction of the occurrence of thermal extremes may have a positive effect on the energy demand for cooling and on global health. However, the accumulation of dust particles in the atmosphere may also increase the meningitis incidence and prevalence.
Urban parks play an essential role in urban settings; significantly contribute to the health of every age group person. Parks provide opportunities for families to connect with nature and breathe in the fresh air. Due to global climate change and increased urbanisation in the past few decades, extreme heat can be experienced in urban areas. Mental and physical health issues arise primarily due to a sedentary lifestyle in cities. Staying at parks for a longer duration could promote stress reduction and perceived physical health. The present study aims to assess the thermal comfort conditions at an urban park in the hot semi-arid climate(BSh) of Haryana, India. The present study investigated the outdoor thermal comfort range and thermal sensations of visitors at a park during the summer season using the onsite monitoring of the microclimate parameters and questionnaire survey in the hot-semi arid region of India. Thermal comfort indices, Physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and Wet bulb globe temperature(WBGT) have been applied to investigate the outdoor thermal comfort conditions. The seven-point sensation scale has been used to record the visitors’ thermal sensations. The results indicated that:1) WBGT was found to be the most suitable index to investigate the OTC conditions. The neutral UTCI, PET, and WBGT ranged within 28.03 degrees C to 35.6 degrees C, 24.04 degrees C to 37.5 degrees C, and 23.5 degrees C to 26.1 degrees C, respectively. 2) The neutral PET ,UTCI, and WBGT were found to be 30.8 degrees C, 31.8 degrees C, and 24.8 degrees C, respectively.3) Dry bulb temperature is the most significant thermal comfort parameter affecting visitors’ thermal sensations, followed by mean radiant temperature.4) Thermal comfort indices were found to be most significantly affected by globe temperature. The study’s outcome could provide theoretical design reference to urban designers to develop new parks and existing parks, ultimately promoting public health. Copyright (c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the F-EIR Conference 2021 on Environment Concerns and its Remediation: Materials Science
Extreme weather conditions, especially heatwave, are a threat to society, affecting livability, wellbeing, and social interactions. The present study aims to assess the monthly heat stress in the outdoor environment from 2010 to 2019 in Sonepat’s municipality, representing a hot semi-arid climate. The authors applied three heat stress indices, namely, Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), Physiological equivalent temperature (PET), and Universal thermal climate index (UTCI), to estimate the grade of heat stress. While calculations, the highest average WBGT was found in July (33.4 +/- 0.77 degrees C), demonstrating July in the “Extreme heat stress” category. The highest mean PET was found in June (42.47 +/- 2.34 degrees C), indicating June in the “Extreme heat stress” category. The highest mean UTCI was found in June (38.58 +/- 1.82 degrees C), demonstrating “Very strong heat stress.” The dry bulb temperature was found to be the most dominant parameter among meteorological parameters promoting extreme heat stress. It was concluded that extreme heat stress was observed in the Pre-monsoon hot weather season and summer monsoon season (especially in June), making the population vulnerable to mortality and morbidity. The findings could provide valuable information to people from various disciplines like Climate scientists, landscape designers, architects, and all relevant stakeholders to develop a heatwave action plan against adverse heat stress.(c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the F-EIR Conference 2021 on Environment Concerns and its Remediation: Materials Science.
The supply of drinking water to the population is an important challenge facing humanity, since both surface and underground sources present a great variability of water storage with respect to space and time. This problem is further aggravated in arid and semi-arid areas where rainfall is low and torrential, which makes groundwater the main source of supply; therefore, it is necessary to carry out studies that allow evaluating the evolution of the quantity and quality of water. This study addresses the behavior of groundwater in a semi-arid region, considering the theory of flow systems to identify movement as well as water quality, es determined by a water quality index (WQI), calculated considering arsenic and fluorine. In addition, a quality irrigation classification is used, employing the norms in accordance with international standards and the Mexican Norm, which allows for a comparison. Local, regional, intermediate and mixed flow systems are identified, and the evolution of cations and anions in addition to temperature is examined. It is observed that the drinking water quality index classifies them as excellent in most of the monitored wells (<50), but with a negative evolution. Regarding irrigation, most of the water samples are classified without restriction for the establishment of any type II crop (C(2)S(1)) and with restrictions for horticultural crops. It is observed that arsenic had values between 0.49 and 61.40 (µg/L) in 2005, while in 2015 they were between 0.10 and 241.30 (µg/L). In addition, fluoride presented values between 0.00 and 2.6 (mg/L) in 2005, while in 2015 they were between 0.28 and 5.40 (mg/L). The correlations between arsenic and fluorine are noted as well as WQI and SAR. A finding in this research was to include arsenic and fluorine in the calculation of the WQI allowing a better interpretation of the quality of water for both human consumption and for agricultural use to based on this make the best decision to control any harmful effects for the population, in addition to identifying the appropriate purification treatment required to control pollutants. It is concluded that arsenic is an element of utmost importance when considering water quality, so it is necessary to examine its evolution and continue to monitor its levels constantly.
Political, economic, and climatic upheaval can result in mass human migration across extreme terrain in search of more humane living conditions, exposing migrants to environments that challenge human tolerance. An empirical understanding of the biological stresses associated with these migrations will play a key role in the development of social, political, and medical strategies for alleviating adverse effects and risk of death. We model physiological stress associated with undocumented migration across a commonly traversed section of the southern border of the United States and find that locations of migrant death are disproportionately clustered within regions of greatest predicted physiological stress (evaporative water loss). Minimum values of estimated evaporative water loss were sufficient to cause severe dehydration and associated proximate causes of mortality. Integration of future climate predictions into models increased predicted physiological costs of migration by up to 34.1% over the next 30 years.
The troubling trend of rising heat-associated mortalities in an urban desert region (Maricopa County, AZ, USA) has motivated us to explore the extent to which environmental factors may contribute to increased heat-health risks. Summertime data from 2010 to 2019 were used to construct a suite of models for daily heat-associated mortalities. The best-performing full model included the following predictors, ordered from strongest to weakest influence: daily average air temperature, average of previous 5 days daily average air temperature, year, day of year, average of previous 5 days daily average dew point temperature, average of previous 5 days daily average PM(2.5), and daily average PM(10). This full model exhibited a 5.39% reduction in mean absolute error in daily heat-associated mortalities as compared to the best-performing model that included only air temperature as an environmental predictor. The extent to which issued and modeled excessive heat warnings (from both the temperature only and full models) corresponded with heat-associated mortalities was also examined. Model hindcasts for 2020 and 2021 showed that the models were able to capture the high number of heat-associated mortalities in 2020, but greatly undercounted the highest yet observed number of heat-associated mortalities in 2021. Results from this study lend insights into environmental factors corresponding to an increased number of heat-associated mortalities and can be used for informing strategies towards reducing heat-health risks. However, as the best-performing model was unable to fully capture the observed number of heat-associated mortalities, continued scrutiny of both environmental and non-environmental factors affecting these observations is needed.
The spectrum of historical features and clinical presentations of heat illness and heatstroke in the pediatric population has received limited focus in the emergency medicine literature. The majority of published cases involve children trapped in closed spaces and adolescent athletes undergoing high-intensity training regimens in geographical regions with moderately high ambient temperatures and high humidity. There has been less research on the potential impact of extreme temperatures and radiant heat that are the hallmarks of the US southwest region. We performed a retrospective review of pediatric heat illness at our facility located in a North American desert climate.
Health researchers have examined the physiological impacts of extreme air temperature on the human body. Yet, the mental health impacts of temperature have been understudied. Research has shown that the environment can create circumstances that exacerbate mental health issues. This may be particularly challenging for some of the fastest growing cities, located in hot, dry climates. Given the theoretical relationship between air temperature and mental health, we seek to measure the association between temperature and schizophrenia hospital admissions in an arid urban climate and quantify the associated public health burden. We collected 86,672 hospitalization records for schizophrenia from 2006 to 2014 in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. Using a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM), we tested for a statistical association between temperature and schizophrenia hospital admissions after controlling for year, season, weekends, and holidays. We calculated the cumulative attributable risk of nighttime temperature on schizophrenia for the entire dataset as well as among demographic subgroups. The relative risk of schizophrenia hospital admissions increased with both high and low temperatures. Statistical models using daily minimum temperature were more strongly associated with hospitalization than those using mean or maximum. Schizophrenia hospital admissions increased on days with minimum temperatures above 30 °C and below 3 °C, with some subgroups experiencing higher rates of hospitalization. The total fraction of schizophrenia hospital admissions attributable to non-optimal minimum temperature is 3.45 % (CI: -4.91-10.80 %) and high minimum temperature is 0.28 % (CI: -1.18-1.78 %). We found that non-whites and males appear to be at a slightly increased risk than the general population, although there did not appear to be a statistically significant difference. A conservative estimate of healthcare costs annually from non-optimal temperature attributed schizophrenia hospitalization is $1.95 million USD. Therefore, nighttime cooling strategies and efforts could increase the accessibility of shelters to reduce overnight exposure to extreme air temperature.
Drought and desertification have a significant impact on socio-ecological systems throughout the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In this context, the impact of desertification and drought was analyzed in the pre-Sahara of Morocco. Additionally, a new conceptual framework combining various variables under the context of drought and desertification impacts was developed. The study area has an arid climate and socio-ecological system-based oases. To achieve the goal of the research, a questionnaire was conceived and distributed to a sample of young people (n = 290 on desertification phenomena and n = 290 on drought). A bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSViewer software to highlight the structure of research and the Likert technique was used as a statistical method to analyze the results. The findings revealed that the respondents reported that drought has a high impact on desertification and sand silting. Otherwise, mental health is highly at risk and drought affects strongly the revenue, yield, and land use. In terms of solutions, the respondents recorded water safe as the appropriate option to adapt to drought in this area. However, in terms of desertification, interviewees thought that temperature and wind have a very high impact on desertification. Roads are the most impacted by sand silting and desertification followed by irrigation canals, and settlements. Concerning the solutions, tourism has a moderate impact on desertification. Young people thereby are aware of the climatic factors and the psycho-socio-economic impacts. They are also able to identify the appropriate solutions to desertification and drought.
Drinking water provision has been a constant challenge in the Sahrawi refugee camps, located in the desert near Tindouf (Algeria). The drinking water supply system is itself divided in three zones which pump groundwater from different deep aquifers. It is equipped with reverse osmosis plants and chlorination systems for treating water. The allocation of water supplied to the Saharawi refugees for human consumption in 2016 has been estimated at between 14 and 17 L/person/day on average. This supplied water volume is below recommended standards, and also below the strategic objective of the Sahrawi government (20 L/person/day). Yet the local groundwater resources are huge in comparison with estimated consumption, and hence there is great potential for increasing the supplied volume through effecting improvements in the supply system. The physico-chemical quality of the raw and supplied water between 2006 and 2016 has been assessed according to Algerian standards for human consumption. The raw water of two zones of the supply system presents a very high conductivity and high concentrations of chloride, nitrate, fluoride, sulfate, sodium, calcium, potassium and iodide concentrations of natural origin, which may entail health risks. The treatment of water in a reverse osmosis plant greatly improves its quality and osmosed water met the standards. However, the supply of osmosed and raw water needs to be combined in Zone 1, to avoid an excessive reduction in water volume, and the supplied raw water poses a risk to the health of the refugees. The present study provides an example of a drinking water supply system under extreme drought conditions and in the political and social conditions of a refugee camp. Furthermore, it establishes a reference for supplied water allocation and quality in the Sahrawi refugee camps.
OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of kidney stones is increasing worldwide. Multiple risk factors are believed to contribute to the development of kidney stones such as lifestyle, diet, and global warming. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there has been limited research exploring the prevalence and risk factors of kidney stones. This study attempts to assess the understanding and prevalence of kidney stones among adults in the UAE. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, distributed among 515 participants (20-49 years old) from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, and Sharjah states. IBM SPSS version 25 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The mean of knowledge score was 56.4% (n = 500). There was no correlation between the knowledge of those who had experienced kidney stones and those who did not. Furthermore, a family history of kidney stones increased the risk of developing stones by 2.27 times. Among participants reporting signs, symptoms, diagnosis, and the management of kidney stones, the knowledge and understanding about kidney stones was high. However, the perceptions of the same cohort about dietary precautions were limited. While analysing the sources of knowledge, the Internet and mass media were twice as important as physicians in educating the population. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the study cohort from the UAE population was aware of certain aspects of kidney stones but was quite naïve about its consequential risk factors. This highlights the importance of promoting education about kidney stones through health campaigns.
Objectives: Sandstorms are natural climate calamities causing severe weather changes and health prob-lems. The sandstorm allied issues are of significant apprehension worldwide, mainly in the present pan-demic. This study aims to examine the “sandstorm impact on environmental pollution particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), and daily new cases and deaths due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ” in Kuwait. Methods: The two incidences of sandstorms occurred in Kuwait, dated 13 March 2021 and 13 June 2021. The data on “PM2.5, CO, NO2, and O-3, and SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths ” were documented three weeks before and after both incidences of the sandstorm. For the first incidence, the data was recorded from 18 February to 12 March 2021; and from 13 March to 2 April 2021. However, for the second incidence of sandstorms, data were documented from 23 May to 12 June 2021; and from 13 June to 3 July 2021. The daily “PM2.5, CO, NO2, and O-3 levels ” were recorded from “Air Quality Index-AQI, metrological web, and data on COVID-19 daily cases and deaths were recorded from the World Health Organization “. Results: After the first and second sandstorm incidence, the air contaminants PM2.5 was increased by 26.62%, CO 22.08%, and O-3 increased 18.10% compared to before the sandstorm. SARS-CoV-2 cases were markedly amplified by (21.25%), and deaths were increased by (61.32%) after the sandstorm. Conclusions: Sandstorm events increase air pollutants PM2.5, CO, and O-3 levels, and these pollutants increase the SARS-COV-2 daily cases and deaths in Kuwait. The findings have a meaningful memorandum to healthcare representatives to advise the public about the health hazards of the sandstorm and its link-age with SARS-CoV-2 cases and deaths. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.
Arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti (e.g., dengue, chikungunya, Zika) are of major public health concern on the arid coastal border of Ecuador and Peru. This high transit border is a critical disease surveillance site due to human movement-associated risk of transmission. Local level studies are thus integral to capturing the dynamics and distribution of vector populations and social-ecological drivers of risk, to inform targeted public health interventions. Our study examines factors associated with household-level Ae. aegypti presence in Huaquillas, Ecuador, while accounting for spatial and temporal effects. From January to May of 2017, adult mosquitoes were collected from a cohort of households (n = 63) in clusters (n = 10), across the city of Huaquillas, using aspirator backpacks. Household surveys describing housing conditions, demographics, economics, travel, disease prevention, and city services were conducted by local enumerators. This study was conducted during the normal arbovirus transmission season (January-May), but during an exceptionally dry year. Household level Ae. aegypti presence peaked in February, and counts were highest in weeks with high temperatures and a week after increased rainfall. Univariate analyses with proportional odds logistic regression were used to explore household social-ecological variables and female Ae. aegypti presence. We found that homes were more likely to have Ae. aegypti when households had interruptions in piped water service. Ae. aegypti presence was less likely in households with septic systems. Based on our findings, infrastructure access and seasonal climate are important considerations for vector control in this city, and even in dry years, the arid environment of Huaquillas supports Ae. aegypti breeding habitat.
Hyperarid, arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas cover approximately 41% of the global land area. The human population in drylands, currently estimated at 2.7 billion, faces limited access to sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food. We discuss the interlinkages among water security, environmental security, energy security, economic security, health security, and food security governance, and how they affect food security in drylands. Reliable and adequate water supply, and the prevention of water contamination, increase the potential for ample food, fodder, and fiber production. Protecting woodlands and rangelands increases food security by buffering the slow onset effects of climate change, including biodiversity loss, desertification, salinization, and land degradation. The protection of natural lands is expected to decrease environmental contamination, and simultaneously, reduce the transfer of diseases from wildlife to humans. Biofuel production and hydroelectric power plants increase energy security but generate land-use conflicts, deforestation, and ecosystem degradation. Economic security generally positively correlates with food security. However, economic growth often degrades the environment, changes tenure rights over natural resources, and stimulates migration to urban areas, resulting in lower food and health security. Moreover, civil unrest, political instability, and armed conflicts disrupt local economies in drylands. Maintaining food security is crucial for health security; conversely, malnourished populations and unresponsive health systems decrease economic security, and adversely affect environmental, energy, and food security. Climate change is expected to deteriorate health security by spreading vector-borne diseases. Effective governance and timely interventions can substantially shorten periods of food insecurity, lower their intensities, and accelerate recovery from inevitable crises, and are therefore crucial in preventing humanitarian crises. Since global drylands population will nearly double by 2050, and since drylands are among the most susceptible areas to climate change, integrated multi-hazard approaches to food security are needed.
Desertification and climate change indicate a future expansion of the global area of dry land and an increase in the risk of drought. Humans may therefore be at an ever-increasing risk of frequent exposure to, and resultant adverse health effects of desert sand dust. This review appraises a total of 52 experimental studies that have sought to identify mechanisms and intermediate endpoints underlying epidemiological evidence of an impact of desert dust on cardiovascular and respiratory health. Toxicological studies, in main using doses that reflect or at least approach real world exposures during a dust event, have demonstrated that virgin sand dust particles and dust storm particles sampled at remote locations away from the source induce inflammatory lung injury and aggravate allergen-induced nasal and pulmonary eosinophilia. Effects are orchestrated by cytokines, chemokines and antigen-specific immunoglobulin potentially via toll-like receptor/myeloid differentiation factor signaling pathways. Findings suggest that in addition to involvement of adhered chemical and biological pollutants, mineralogical components may also be implicated in the pathogenesis of human respiratory disorders during a dust event. Whilst comparisons with urban particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM(2.5)) suggest that allergic inflammatory responses are greater for microbial element-rich dust- PM(2.5), aerosols generated during dust events appear to have a lower oxidative potential compared to combustion-generated PM(2.5) sampled during non-dust periods. In vitro findings suggest that the significant amounts of suspended desert dust during storm periods may provide a platform to intermix with chemicals on its surfaces, thereby increasing the bioreactivity of PM(2.5) during dust storm episodes, and that mineral dust surface reactions are an unrecognized source of toxic organic chemicals in the atmosphere, enhancing toxicity of aerosols in urban environments. In summary, the experimental research on desert dust on respiratory endpoints go some way in clarifying the mechanistic effects of atmospheric desert dust on the upper and lower human respiratory system. In doing so, they provide support for biological plausibility of epidemiological associations between this particulate air pollutant and events including exacerbation of asthma, hospitalization for respiratory infections and seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Human health is linked to climatic factors in complex ways, and climate change can have profound direct and indirect impacts on the health status of any given region. Susceptibility to climate change is modulated by biological, ecological and socio-political factors such as age, gender, geographic location, socio-economic status, occupation, health status and housing conditions, among other. In the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME), climatic factors known to affect human health include extreme heat, water shortages and air pollution. Furthermore, the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) and the health consequences of population displacement are also influenced by climate change in this region. To inform future policies for adaptation and mitigation measures, and based on an extensive review of the available knowledge, we recommend several research priorities for the region. These include the generation of more empirical evidence on exposure-response functions involving climate change and specific health outcomes, the development of appropriate methodologies to evaluate the physical and psychological effects of climate change on vulnerable populations, determining how climate change alters the ecological determinants of human health, improving our understanding of the effects of long-term exposure to heat stress and air pollution, and evaluating the interactions between adaptation and mitigation strategies. Because national boundaries do not limit most climate-related factors expected to impact human health, we propose that adaptation/mitigation policies must have a regional scope, and therefore require collaborative efforts among EMME nations. Policy suggestions include a decisive region-wide decarbonisation, the integration of environmentally driven morbidity and mortality data throughout the region, advancing the development and widespread use of affordable technologies for the production and management of drinking water by non-traditional means, the development of comprehensive strategies to improve the health status of displaced populations, and fostering regional networks for monitoring and controlling the spread of infectious diseases and disease vectors.
BACKGROUND: Desert dust events in Mediterranean countries, originating mostly from the Sahara and Arabian deserts, have been linked to climate change and are associated with significant increase in mortality and hospital admissions from respiratory causes. The MEDEA clinical intervention study in children with asthma is funded by EU LIFE+ program to evaluate the efficacy of recommendations aiming to reduce exposure to desert dust and related health effects. METHODS: This paper describes the design, methods, and challenges of the MEDEA childhood asthma study, which is performed in two highly exposed regions of the Eastern Mediterranean: Cyprus and Greece-Crete. Eligible children are recruited using screening surveys performed at primary schools and are randomized to three parallel intervention groups: a) no intervention for desert dust events, b) interventions for outdoor exposure reduction, and c) interventions for both outdoor and indoor exposure reduction. At baseline visits, participants are enrolled on MEDena® Health-Hub, which communicates, alerts and provides exposure reduction recommendations in anticipation of desert dust events. MEDEA employs novel environmental epidemiology and telemedicine methods including wearable GPS, actigraphy, health parameters sensors as well as indoor and outdoor air pollution samplers to assess study participants’ compliance to recommendations, air pollutant exposures in homes and schools, and disease related clinical outcomes. DISCUSSION: The MEDEA study evaluates, for the first time, interventions aiming to reduce desert dust exposure and implement novel telemedicine methods in assessing clinical outcomes and personal compliance to recommendations. In Cyprus and Crete, during the first study period (February-May 2019), a total of 91 children participated in the trial while for the second study period (February-May 2020), another 120 children completed data collection. Recruitment for the third study period (February-May 2021) is underway. In this paper, we also present the unique challenges faced during the implementation of novel methodologies to reduce air pollution exposure in children. Engagement of families of asthmatic children, schools and local communities, is critical. Successful study completion will provide the knowledge for informed decision-making both at national and international level for mitigating the health effects of desert dust events in South-Eastern Europe. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03503812 , April 20, 2018.
Desert dust storms (DDS) are natural events that impact not only populations close to the emission sources but also populations many kilometers away. Countries located across the main dust sources, including countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, are highly affected by DDS. In addition, climate change is expanding arid areas exacerbating DDS events. Currently, there are no intervention measures with proven, quantified exposure reduction to desert dust particles. As part of the wider “MEDEA” project, co-funded by LIFE 2016 Programme, we examined the effectiveness of an indoor exposure-reduction intervention (i.e., decrease home ventilation during DDS events and continuous use of air purifier during DDS and non-DDS days) across homes and/or classrooms of schoolchildren with asthma and adults with atrial fibrillation in Cyprus and Crete-Greece. Participants were randomized to a control or intervention groups, including an indoor intervention group with exposure reduction measures and the use of air purifiers. Particle sampling, PM(10) and PM(2.5,) was conducted in participants’ homes and/or classrooms, between 2019 and 2022, during DDS-free weeks and during DDS days for as long as the event lasted. In indoor and outdoor PM(10) and PM(2.5) samples, mass and content in main and trace elements was determined. Indoor PM(2.5) and PM(10) mass concentrations, adjusting for premise type and dust conditions, were significantly lower in the indoor intervention group compared to the control group (PM(2.5-intervention)/PM(2.5-control) = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.70; PM(10-intervention)/PM(10-control) = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.71). In addition, the PM(2.5) and PM(10) particles of outdoor origin were significantly lower in the intervention vs. the control group (PM(2.5) infiltration intervention-to-control ratio: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.58; PM(10) infiltration intervention-to-control ratio: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.89). Our findings suggest that the use of air purifiers alongside decreased ventilation measures is an effective protective measure that reduces significantly indoor exposure to particles during DDS and non-DDS in high-risk population groups.
Tasks performed by search and rescue (SAR) teams can be physically demanding. SAR organizations are faced with mounting challenges due to increased participation in recreation in remote locations and more frequent extreme weather. We sought to describe the physiological response and the methods for data collection during helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) winch rescue from remote wilderness in extreme heat. A flight paramedic sustained 81% of maximum heart rate (VO₂ ~44.8 mL/kg/min) for ~10 minutes at a rate of perceived exertion of 19/20, and a relative heart rate of 77.5% in 37.1°C. Maximal acceptable work time for this task was calculated at 37.7 minutes. Our data collection methods were feasible, and the data captured demonstrated the level of physiological strain that may be encountered during HEMS SAR operations in austere environments and hot climate. It is essential that SAR teams that perform physically demanding tasks use a scientific approach to adapt and evolve. This is necessary to ensure personnel are appropriately selected, trained, and equipped to respond in an era of increasing demand and extreme environments.
Extreme urban heat alongside higher ambient temperatures in urban areas causes serious energy, comfort, health and environmental problems. The implementation of urban heat mitigation techniques can significantly reduce urban temperatures and counterbalance the impact of extreme urban heat. This study assesses the potential cooling ability of modified urban albedo strategies through the implementation of reflective and super reflective materials, as well as the global climatic impacts on a subtropical desert urban environment in Dubai, UAE. Three scenarios using low, average and high albedo modifications are designed and evaluated in parallel to a reference scenario. A physically-based mesoscale urban modeling system is used to assess the thermal and meteorological impacts of the albedo modifications during both the summer and winter seasons at a city scale. The reduction of ambient temperature during the peak of a summer day (14:00 LT) is shown to be 0.6 degrees C, 1.4 degrees C and 2.6 degrees C when urban albedo is increased by 0.20, 0.45 and 0.60 respectively. The winter cooling penalty ranges between 0.6 degrees C and 1.1 degrees C for the different albedo scenarios. The increase of the urban albedo also significantly reduces the planetary boundary layer (PBL) depth due to the loss of sensible heat and decreases the intensity of the convective mixing and advection flows from the desert to the city, improving the mitigation potential of the reflective materials; however this increases the risk of a higher pollutants concentration. A much higher mitigation potential is observed for the high-density parts of the city when compared to that of the low-density parts of the city. Irrespective of linear function in the drop of ambient temperature and changing fraction of global albedo, our results reported that the cooling potential of reflective materials is highly influenced by the climate, landscape, and urban characteristics of the cities.
Dust storms have already become the most serious environmental problem on the south edge of the Taklimakan desert because of their frequent occurrences. To investigate the health effects of dust storms on public health in Moyu County, one of the most severe dust-storm-affected areas located at the south edge of the Taklimakan desert, China, primary data were collected from 1200 respondents by using a questionnaire survey for 15 health symptoms. The data were analyzed by comparing the mean tool (independent t-test and ANOVA) and the severity of different symptoms among different age groups. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to further analyze the multivariate relationships between meteorological factors, dust storm intensity, air pollution level, and severity degree of the different symptoms. The results show that significant correlations exist between dust storm intensity, air pollutants (PM(2.5), PM(10), O(3), SO(2), NO(2), and CO), meteorological factors, and health symptoms. During dusty weather, no matter the age group, the number of respondents who suffered from different health symptoms was higher compared to non-dusty days. Three types of dusty days were considered in this study: suspended dust, blowing dust, and sand storms. The impacts of sand storm weather on public health are stronger than those from blowing dust weather, suspended dust weather (haze), and non-dust weather. The people in the age groups above 60 years and below 15 years were more sensitive to different dust weather than people in the age groups between 15 and 60. “Dry throat with bitter taste”, “Depression”, “Dry and itchy throat”, and “Mouth ulcer” are the main symptoms caused by dust storms.
The coupling effects of sandstorm and dust from coal bases themselves can have a major impact on the atmospheric environment as well as on human health. The typical coal resource city of Wuhai in Inner Mongolia was selected in order to study these impacts during a severe sandstorm event in March 2021. Particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5 and PM10) and total suspended particulate matter (TSP) samples were collected during the sandstorm event of 15-19 March 2021 and non-sandstorm weather (11-13 March 2021) and analyzed for their chemical composition. The concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and TSP in Wuhai city during the sandstorm were 2.2, 2.6, 4.8 and 6.0 times higher than during non-sandstorm days, respectively. Trace metals concentrations in particles of different sizes generally increased during the sandstorm, while water-soluble ions decreased. Positive matrix fraction (PMF) results showed that the main sources of particles during both sandstorm and non-sandstorm days were industrial emissions, traffic emissions, combustion sources and dust. The proportion of industrial emissions and combustion sources increased compared with non-sandstorm days, while traffic emissions and dust decreased. The backward trajectory analysis results showed that airflows were mainly transported over short distances during non-sandstorm days, and high concentration contribution source areas were from southern Ningxia, southeast Gansu and western Shaanxi. The airflow was mainly transported over long distances during the sandstorm event, and high concentration contribution source areas were from northwestern Inner Mongolia, southern Russia, northern and southwestern Mongolia, and northern Xinjiang. A health risk analysis showed that the risk to human health during sandstorm days related to the chemical composition of particles was generally 1.2-13.1 times higher than during non-sandstorm days. Children were more susceptible to health risks, about 2-6.3 times more vulnerable than adults to the risks from heavy metals in the particles under both weather conditions.
Global food insecurity concerns due to climate change, emphasizes the need to focus on the sensitivity of sorghum to climate change and potential crop improvement strategies available, which is discussed in the current review to promote climate-smart agriculture. Climate change effects immensely disturb the global agricultural systems by reducing crop production. Changes in extreme weather and climate events such as high-temperature episodes and extreme rainfalls events, droughts, flooding adversely affect the production of staple food crops, posing threat to ecosystem resilience. The resulting crop losses lead to food insecurity and poverty and question the sustainable livelihoods of small farmer communities, particularly in developing countries. In view of this, it is essential to focus and adapt climate-resilient food crops which need lower inputs and produce sustainable yields through various biotic and abiotic stress-tolerant traits. Sorghum, “the camel of cereals”, is one such climate-resilient food crop that is less sensitive to climate change vulnerabilities and also an important staple food in many parts of Asia and Africa. It is a rainfed crop and provides many essential nutrients. Understanding sorghum’s sensitivity to climate change provides scope for improvement of the crop both in terms of quantity and quality and alleviates food and feed security in future climate change scenarios. Thus, the current review focused on understanding the sensitivity of sorghum crop to various stress events due to climate change and throws light on different crop improvement strategies available to pave the way for climate-smart agriculture.
The Imperial Valley region of Southeastern California has become one of the most productive agricultural regions in the state and has the highest rates of childhood asthma in California. Lack of precipitation in the Imperial Valley has caused the water level of the Salton Sea to recede to a record low since its formation in the early 1900s. Previous studies of wind and dust deposition conducted in other regions have shown how reduced precipitation, ground heating, and the diminishing water level in an arid climate pose a risk of exposing previously sequestered toxic chemicals to open air, adversely affecting lung health. The purpose of this study is to draw historical parallels between the Aral Sea and Salton Sea in the context of geomorphology, ecology, human health, economics, and human migration, to inform an assessment of environmentally related health impacts of those living in the Imperial Valley region. Future droughts and heatwaves are expected to rise in frequency and severity, disproportionately affecting those impacted by financial and health disparities. Future research must include the implications of population health in the context of GeoHealth as a result of the most recent drought and the receding water levels of the Salton Sea.
The Research Action Team of Bridging Climate Change and Public Health investigated research related to climate sensitive public health hazards specific to Maricopa County, Arizona and the surrounding Southwest region. Examples of climate-sensitive public health hazards that are important for our area include extreme heat, poor air quality, vector-borne diseases, flooding, and dust storms. A review of the academic research literature revealed 102 relevant publications. Data were extracted from each study to identify gaps in research for potential future studies related to climate-sensitive public health hazards. The data extracted included study design, duration of the study, climate change outcomes, health outcomes, and Arizona county (county vs. All Arizona vs. Southwest). Studies were dated from 1950-2019, with the majority of research within Arizona happening in Maricopa County, Arizona. Heat and air quality are the climate change impacts that have dominated the literature for Arizona thus far. An intersection analysis of climate change impacts and health outcomes revealed these nine important gaps that represent opportunities for future research: 1) (built environment) AND (alternative ways of transportation) 2) (adaptation, mitigation, and interventions) AND (asthma and other respiratory illnesses) 3) (adaptation, mitigation, and interventions) AND (cardiovascular health) 4) (adaptation, mitigation, and interventions) AND (malnutrition) 5) (adaptation, mitigation, and interventions) AND (alternative ways of transportation) 6) (impacts of food supply) AND (malnutrition) 7) (occupational health) AND (asthma and other respiratory illnesses) 8) (occupational health) AND (Valley Fever) 9) (occupational health) AND (cardiovascular health)
Frameworks for understanding well-being play an important role in designing and evaluating climate change adaptation intervention and policy. To be effective, frameworks must capture the complexities of the social, ecological, and cultural contexts specific to vulnerable social groups. This study explores the concept of well-being from the perspective of pastoral women in Northern Kenya, a social group highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a novel participatory group ranking activity. Analysis using the WeD Framework for well-being highlights key components from the perspective of Samburu women and underscores the importance of understanding the interaction between these components. We discuss the theoretical implications of these interactions for future use of the WeD framework and practical implications for the design and evaluation of climate change adaptation intervention and policy.
Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme events. Adaptation strategies at societal and household level are crucial to reduce vulnerability. We assessed to what extent personal flood affectedness, in particular health impacts, influence adaptive behavior. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in northern Chile one year after a major flood event and assessed several dimensions of flood affectedness and adaptive behavior at the household level. After the event, a wide range of adaptation measures, including water storage and prepa-ration of emergency kits, had been implemented by 80% of the population.
Pakistan is home to a wide range of geographical landscapes, each of which faces different climate change impacts and challenges. This article presents findings from a National Geographic Society funded project, which employed a people-centered, narratives-based approach to study climate impacts and adaptation strategies of people in 19 rural study sites in four provinces of Pakistan (N = 108). The study looked at six climate-related stressors-changes in weather patterns, floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, drought, heat waves, and sea-level rise-in the coastal areas of Sindh, the desert of Thar, the plains of Punjab, and the mountains of Hunza, Gilgit, and Chitral. Speaking to people at these frontlines of climate change revealed much about climate suffering and trauma. Not only is the suffering induced by losses and damages to property and livelihood, but climate impacts also take a heavy toll on people’s psycho-social wellbeing, particularly when they are displaced from their homes. The findings further demonstrate that people try to adapt in various ways, for instance by altering their agricultural practices, but they face severe barriers to effective adaptation action. Understanding people’s perceptions of climate change and incorporating their recommendations in adaptation planning can help policy-makers develop a more participatory, inclusive, and holistic climate resilience framework for the future.
In the Northeast Brazil (NEB), the impacts of climate extreme events such as severe droughts are aggravated by poverty and poor socioeconomic conditions. In this region, such events usually result in the spread of endemic diseases, problems in water distribution, and agricultural losses, often leading to an increase in the population’s vulnerability. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the microregions of the Rio Grande do Norte (RN) state, in the NEB, according to the Epidemiological Index for Drought Vulnerability (EIDV). We mapped and classified the microregions according to three dimensions of vulnerability: risk, susceptibility, and adaptive capacity. We also verified potential associations between drought risk and epidemiological vulnerability. The EIDV was calculated by considering the three dimensions of vulnerability as mutually exclusive events and applying the third axiom of probability. Then we carried out a cluster analysis in order to classify the microregions according to similarities in the EIDV. Odds ratio were also calculated in order to evaluate the odds of microregions having a high susceptibility to diseases and high vulnerability given the drought risk. Results showed that the Pau dos Ferros, Seridó Ocidental, Seridó Oriental, and Umarizal microregions were the most vulnerable, while Natal and Litoral Sul were the least vulnerable. Regarding the dimensions of vulnerability, we observed that almost the entire RN state exhibited high drought risk. Pau dos Ferros and Umarizal had the highest susceptibility and Litoral Nordeste presented the worst adaptive capacity to the effects of drought on health. The EIDV revealed that the population of the RN state needs improvements in living conditions and health, since socioeconomic status is one of the factors that most influence the vulnerability of microregions, which in turn is aggravated by drought risk.
Health determinants might play an important role in shaping the impacts related to long-term disasters such as droughts. Understanding their distribution in populated dry regions may help to map vulnerabilities and set coping strategies for current and future threats to human health. The aim of the study was to identify the most vulnerable municipalities of the Brazilian semiarid region when it comes to the relationship between drought, health, and their determinants using a multidimensional index. From a place-based framework, epidemiological, socio-economic, rural, and health infrastructure data were obtained for 1135 municipalities in the Brazilian semiarid region. An exploratory factor analysis was used to reduce 32 variables to four independent factors and compute a Health Vulnerability Index. The health vulnerability was modulated by social determinants, rural characteristics, and access to water in this semiarid region. There was a clear distinction between municipalities with the highest human welfare and economic development and those municipalities with the worst living conditions and health status. Spatial patterns showed a cluster of the most vulnerable municipalities in the western, eastern, and northeastern portions of the semiarid region. The spatial visualization of the associated vulnerabilities supports decision making on health promotion policies that should focus on reducing social inequality. In addition, policymakers are presented with a simple tool to identify populations or areas with the worst socioeconomic and health conditions, which can facilitate the targeting of actions and resources on a more equitable basis. Further, the results contribute to the understanding of social determinants that may be related to medium- and long-term health outcomes in the region.
Exposure to drought is on the increase, also in sub-Saharan Africa. Even so, little attention has been paid to what supports youth resilience to the stressors associated with drought. In response, this article reports a secondary analysis of qualitative data generated in a phenomenological study with 25 South African adolescents (average age 15.6; majority Sepedi-speaking) from a drought-impacted and structurally disadvantaged community. The thematic findings show the importance of personal, relational, and structural resources that fit with youths’ sociocultural context. Essentially, proactive collaboration between adolescents and their social ecologies is necessary to co-advance socially just responses to the challenges associated with drought.
The indigenous knowledge of our ancestors provides valuable information on how to prevent negative health impacts on water hygiene in the event of drought. The present study aimed to explore the role of indigenous knowledge in maintaining water safety in drought conditions. A qualitative content analysis method using in-depth semi-structured interviews was used to collect and analyze the data. The current research was carried out from April 2017 to June 2018. A purposive sampling method was used to select 15 participants. Trustworthiness was applied with the Lincoln and Guba approach and data were analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman’s method. Two categories including drinking water storage and water collection were extracted from the data. Each category includes different strategies to deal with water. Water storage includes water quantity and water quality. Water collection consists of collection methods and rules. Indigenous knowledge is an indispensable component of community disaster resilience. It can be transferred to other communities and employed to empower affected communities. But using the knowledge without scientific considerations cannot guarantee peoples’ health throughout the drought periods.
Arid and semi-arid climates, including that of Iran, are more susceptible to environmental changes due to their special ecological structure than other climates. Therefore, climate change in these areas appears to have significant effects on agricultural and food production systems. The present study explores the effect of climatic changes on total horticultural production and food security in agro-ecological zones of Iran. The study was conducted in two steps. In the first step, the effects of climatic parameters on total horticultural production were investigated using time series data (1985-2017) and a regression model. In the second step, due to the important role of horticultural products in per capita food consumption in Iran, the effect of climate parameters on food security was also examined. Results revealed that total horticultural production was influenced by temperature, evapotranspiration, and wind speed at the 0.05 level. With the increase in temperature (at a rate of one unit), total horticultural production is reduced to 0.01 million tons. Evapotranspiration and wind speed have had a negative effect on total horticultural production, and with increasing evapotranspiration and wind speed, total horticultural production was 0.029 and 0.008 million, respectively, tons decreased. Also, food security was influenced by temperature, precipitation, and wind speed.
Objective: To determine the significance of temperature, rainfall and humidity in the seasonal abundance of Anopheles stephensi in southern Iran. Methods: Data on the monthly abundance of Anopheles stephensi larvae and adults were gathered from earlier studies conducted between 2002 and 2019 in malaria prone areas of southeastern Iran. Climatic data for the studied counties were obtained from climatology stations. Generalized estimating equations method was used for cluster correlation of data for each study site in different years. Results: A significant relationship was found between monthly density of adult and larvae of Anopheles stephensi and precipitation, max temperature and mean temperature, both with simple and multiple generalized estimating equations analysis (P<0.05). But when analysis was done with one month lag, only relationship between monthly density of adults and larvae of Anopheles stephensi and max temperature was significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: This study provides a basis for developing multivariate time series models, which can be used to develop improved appropriate epidemic prediction systems for these areas. Long-term entomological study in the studied sites by expert teams is recommended to compare the abundance of malaria vectors in the different areas and their association with climatic variables.
BACKGROUND: Suicidal behavior is determined by the consequence of an interaction between biological, psychological and sociological factors, as well as between individual and environmental effects. Fluctuations in meteorological factors can modify human behavior and affect suicidal rates. We hypothesize that high temperatures can be associated with an increase rate of suicidal attempts. METHODS: We included all the patients admitted to Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC) due to suicide attempts between the years 2002-2017 and were residents of Southern Israel. We computed two sets of regression models: first, a time stratified case-crossover design to control for seasonality and individual differences. Results are presented as odds ratio (OR) with confidence interval (CI); and then, time-series analyses to calculate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and the cumulative effect of temperature on the daily incidences of emergency department (ED) admissions after suicide attempts. We stratified the analyses by demographic variables to identify significant individual differences. RESULTS: We identified 3100 attempts, by 2338 patients who lived in Be’er Sheva between 16 and 90 years of age; 421 patients made 2+ attempts. Suicide attempts were associated with a 5 °C increase during the summer season (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.22-2.08) and a 5 °C increase in all seasons was associated with those who have made multiple attempts (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.0005-1.38). The cumulative effect of 5 °C increment is associated with more suicide attempts over 2 days (IRR 1.10, 95% CI 0.98; 1.24) and 5 days (IRR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00; 1.08). The associations were greater for patients with psychiatric diagnosis and patients with multiple attempts. In a stratified analysis by individual characteristics we didn’t find significant association. CONCLUSION: High temperatures and low amount of precipitations are evidently of great impact on people’s susceptibility to suicidal behavior, especially for individuals who have had a prior suicide attempt. Our findings indicate the need for public health attention in the summer when temperature increases precipitously over days, especially for those who have made a prior suicide attempt.
The causes and consequences of indoor heat exposure are receiving growing attention as global temperature rises and people seek respite from the heat in indoor spaces. In this study, we measured indoor temperatures of 46 air-conditioned residences in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Temperatures were collected concurrently at 5-min intervals from August 21 to September 19, 2016. Indoor temperatures exhibited significant heterogeneity across all residences, ranging from 16.5 to 37.2 degrees C with a mean (SD) of 26.4 degrees C (2.2 degrees C). On average, the 5-min indoor temperatures were moderately correlated with outdoor temperature (r = 0.421), although individual household correlations were highly variable, ranging from r = -0.244 to r = 0.924. Households were grouped into six clusters using K-means based on 19 temperature metrics. We tested for differences in demographic, behavior, and infrastructure indicators between those six clusters based on responses to a social survey. Nearly half the variance in preferred thermostat setting was explained by cluster (R-2 = 0.455, p < .001). For the most part, measures of air-conditioning use, limitations on air-conditioning use, and household resources (e.g., income) did not vary significantly by cluster. The same was true for heat-related health and comfort outcomes. Two households that did not pay their own electric bill were by far the coldest homes (average temperature of 20.0 degrees C). We conclude that indoor temperature preference may supersede concerns related to the cost of using air-conditioning and that resource-constrained households may be sacrificing other necessities to keep their homes comfortable.
Particulate matter from natural sources such as desert dust causes harmful effects for health. Asian dust (AD) increases the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, little is known about the risk of myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA), compared to myocardial infarction with coronary artery disease (MI-CAD). Using a time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression models, the association between short-term exposure to AD whereby decreased visibility (
West African populations are exposed to the longest and harshest dust storms on the planet, the Saharan sand and dust storms (SDS). Nonetheless, little is known about the effects of the severe storms on early-life health in West Africa. This study investigated the association of the risk of neonatal mortality, an indicator of the population’s early-life health, with potential prenatal and neonatal exposure to the Saharan SDS. Data on 30,552 under-five children from Burkina Faso’s 1993, 2003, and 2010 demographic and health surveys were matched to the particulate matters (PM) and terrestrial air temperature and precipitation forecasts. Exposure to dust events was measured by the number of days with average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations above a series of threshold. Intensity-dependent patterns of associations between neonatal mortality and both prenatal and birth month exposure to dust events were identified. There was no association if average daily PM10 and PM2.5 levels were <60 and 30 ?g/m(3), respectively. However, strong associations, which increase almost linearly with the intensity of exposure, were identified when daily PM10 and PM2.5 levels ranged from 70 to 150 and from 40 to 70 ?g/m(3), respectively. At the higher PM levels, the association for the gestation period decreased, but that for the birth month remained mostly unresponsive to changes in the PM levels. Larger associations were identified when siblings were compared.
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Moreover, the effects of air pollution have been associated with several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The relationship between sandstorm weather and IHD is unknown. The Hexi Corridor is located in northwestern China and is a typical desert region comprising a large area of desert with a high incidence of sandstorms. This study aimed to explore the association between sandstorm weather and IHD-related mortality in this area. We acquired meteorological data of sandstorm weather from 2006 to 2015 from the Gansu Meteorological Bureau, and data regarding deaths due to IHD in five cities within the Hexi Corridor were collected from the death registration system of the Center for Disease Control of Gansu during the same period. Two other cities with few sandstorm events were selected as control regions. The time series method of the generalized additive model (GAM) was used to assess the association between sandstorm weather and IHD-related mortality in the Hexi Corridor. The results showed that the frequency of sandstorms in the Hexi Corridor was higher than that in the control regions (5.48% vs 1.64%, P
Particulate matter (PM), a major component of air pollution, is an important carrier medium of various chemical and microbial compounds. Air pollution due to PM could increase the level of bacteria and associated adverse health effects. Staphylococci as important opportunistic pathogens that cause hospital- and community-acquired infections may transmit through air. This study aimed to obtain knowledge about the concentration of airborne bacteria as well as staphylococci associated with particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (PM(2.5)) in ambient air. The impact of meteorological factors including ultraviolet (UV) index, wind speed, temperature, and moisture on microbial concentrations was also investigated. Quartz filters were used to collect PM(2.5) and associated bacteria in ambient air of a semiarid area. Airborne bacteria were quantified by culture method and Staphylococcus species identified by molecular methods. The mean (SD) concentration of PM(2.5) and airborne bacteria was 64.83 (24.87) µg/m(3) and 38 (36) colony forming unit (CFU)/m(3), respectively. The results showed no significant correlation between the levels of PM(2.5) and concentrations of bacteria (p?<?0.05). Staphylococcus species were detected in 8 of 37 (22%) samples in a concentration from 3 to 213 CFU/m(3). S. epidermidis was detected with the highest frequency followed by S. gallinarum and S. hominis, but S. aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were not detected. No significant correlation between the concentrations of bacteria with meteorological parameters was observed (p?<?0.05). Our finding showed that, although the study area is sometimes subject to air pollution from PM(2.5), the concentration of PM(2.5)- associated bacteria is relatively low. According to the results, PM(2.5) may not be a source of community-associated staphylococcal infections.
The continuous increase of Coccidioidomycosis cases requires reliable detection methods of the causal agent, Coccidioides spp., in its natural environment. This has proven challenging because of our limited knowledge on the distribution of this soil-dwelling fungus. Knowing the pathogen’s geographic distribution and its relationship with the environment is crucial to identify potential areas of risk and to prevent disease outbreaks. The maximum entropy (Maxent) algorithm, Geographic Information System (GIS) and bioclimatic variables were combined to obtain current and future potential distribution models (DMs) of Coccidioides and its putative rodent reservoirs for Arizona, California and Baja California. We revealed that Coccidioides DMs constructed with presence records from one state are not well suited to predict distribution in another state, supporting the existence of distinct phylogeographic populations of Coccidioides. A great correlation between Coccidioides DMs and United States counties with high Coccidioidomycosis incidence was found. Remarkably, under future scenarios of climate change and high concentration of greenhouse gases, the probability of habitat suitability for Coccidioides increased. Overlap analysis between the DMs of rodents and Coccidioides, identified Neotoma lepida as one of the predominant co-occurring species in all three states. Considering rodents DMs would allow to implement better surveillance programs to monitor disease spread.
Thermal comfort plays a main role in encouraging people to use outdoor spaces, specifically in hot arid and humid climates. The reconciliation of climatic aspects during the urban design phase is limited in implementation, due to the need for multidisciplinary collaboration between desperate scientific fields of climatology, urban planning, and urban environmental modelling. This paper aims to create an integrated interface between the microclimate, outdoor thermal comfort, and design guidelines. The investigation combines subjective and objective approaches, including on-site field measurements, a structured questionnaire using the seven-point American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE 55) thermal sensation votes, and a correlation study of these votes and the microclimatic parameters. Pedestrian thermal comfort was then examined under six shading scenarios, addressing the form and opening of shading devices using computational fluid dynamics. Modelling is based on four dependent variables: wind velocity, ventilation flow rate, air temperature, and the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) index. Findings indicate that the form and location of apertures of the shading devices were the dominant factors in achieving thermal comfort on the urban scale, and led to a reduction in air temperature and a physiological equivalent temperature of 2.3-2.4 degrees C. Subjective votes indicate that people who live in hot arid climates have a wider range of adaptation and tolerance to local climatic conditions Accordingly, a psychometric chart, for the case study outdoor thermal comfort was developed.
Sand and dust storms in arid and semiarid regions deteriorate regional air quality and threaten public health security. To quantify the negative effects of river dust on regional air quality, this study selected the estuary areas located in central Taiwan as a case study and proposed an integrated framework to measure the fugitive emission of dust from riverbeds with the aid of satellite remote sensing and wind tunnel test, together with the concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter of <10 ?m (PM(10)) around the river system by using The Air Pollution Model. Additionally, the effects of 25 types of meteorological conditions on the health risk due to exposure to dust were evaluated near the estuary areas. The results reveal landscape changes in the downstream areas of Da'an and Dajia rivers, with an increase of 370,820 m(2) and 1,554,850 m(2) of bare land areas in the dry season compared with the wet season in Da'an and Dajia rivers, respectively. On the basis of the maximum emission of river dust, PM(10) concentration increases considerably during both wet and dry seasons near the two rivers. Among 25 different types of weather conditions, frontal surface transit, outer-region circulation from tropical depression system, weak northeast monsoons, and anticyclonic outflow have considerable influence on PM(10) diffusion. In particular, weak northeast monsoons cause the highest health risk in the areas between Da'an and Dajia rivers, which is the densely populated Taichung City. Future studies should attempt to elucidate the environmental impact of dust in different weather conditions and understand the spatial risks to human health due to PM(10) concentration. Facing the increasing threat of climate and landscape changes, governments are strongly encouraged to begin multimedia assessments in environmental management and propose a long-term and systematic framework in resources planning.
OBJECTIVES: Maricopa County, Arizona (2017 population about 4.3 million), is located in the Sonoran Desert. In 2005, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) established a heat-associated mortality surveillance system that captures data on circumstances of death for Maricopa County residents and visitors. We analyzed 2006-2016 surveillance system data to understand the characteristics and circumstances of heat-associated deaths. METHODS: We classified heat-associated deaths based on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes (X30, T67.X, and P81.0) and phrases (heat exposure, environ, exhaustion, sun, heat stress, heat stroke, or hyperthermia) in part I or part II of the death certificate. We summarized data on decedents’ demographic characteristics, years lived in Arizona, location of death (indoors vs outdoors), presence and functionality of air conditioning, and whether the decedent had been homeless. We examined significant associations between variables by using the Pearson ?(2) tests and logistic regression. RESULTS: During 2006-2016, MCDPH recorded data on 920 heat-associated deaths, 912 of which included location of injury. Of 565 (62%) heat-associated deaths that occurred outdoors, 458 (81%) were among male decedents and 243 (43%) were among decedents aged 20-49. Of 347 (38%) heat-associated deaths that occurred indoors, 201 (58%) were among decedents aged ?65. Non-Arizona residents were 5 times as likely as Arizona residents to have a heat-associated death outdoors (P < .001). Of 727 decedents with data on duration of Arizona residency, 438 (60%) had resided in Arizona ?20 years. CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing evaluation of interventions that target populations at risk for both outdoor and indoor heat-associated deaths can further inform refinement of the surveillance system and identify best practices to prevent heat-associated deaths.
Heatwaves are defined as unusually high temperature events that occur for at least three consecutive days with major impacts to human health, economy, agriculture and ecosystems. This paper investigates: 1) changes in heatwave characteristics such as peak temperature, number of events, frequency and duration over a past 67-year period in Australia; 2) projected changes in heatwave characteristics for this century in Queensland, northeast Australia; and 3) the avoided heatwave impacts of limiting global warming by 1.5 °C, 2.0 °C and 3.0 °C. The results reveal that heatwaves have increased in intensity, frequency and duration across Australia over the past 67 years, such intensification was particularly higher on recent decades. Downscaled future climate projections for Queensland suggest that heatwaves will further intensify over the current century. The projections also highlight that distinct climatic regions within Queensland may have different heatwave responses under global warming, where tropical and equatorial heatwaves appear to be more sensitive to elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentrations than temperate and arid regions. The results offer new insights to support climate adaptation and mitigation at regional scales. These findings are already being used by health and emergency services to inform the development of statewide policies to mitigate heatwave impacts.
Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, situated in the Horn of Africa, are highly vulnerable to climate change, which manifests itself through increasing temperatures, erratic rains and prolonged droughts. Millions of people have to flee from droughts or floods either as cross-border refugees or as internally displaced persons (IDPs). The aim of this study was to identify knowledge status and gaps regarding public health consequences of large-scale displacement in these countries. After a scoping review, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews during 2018 with 39 stakeholders from different disciplines and agencies in these three countries. A validation workshop was held with a selection of 13 interviewees and four project partners. Malnutrition and a lack of vaccination of displaced people are well-known challenges, while mental health problems and gender-based violence (GBV) are less visible to stakeholders. In particular, the needs of IDPs are not well understood. The treatment of mental health and GBV is insufficient, and IDPs have inadequate access to essential health services in refugee camps. Needs assessment and program evaluations with a patients’ perspective are either lacking or inadequate in most situations. The Horn of Africa is facing chronic food insecurity, poor population health and mass displacement. IDPs are an underserved group, and mental health services are lacking. A development approach is necessary that moves beyond emergency responses to the building of long-term resilience, the provision of livelihood support and protection to reduce displacement by droughts.
Although heat exposure is the leading cause of mortality for undocumented immigrants attempting to traverse the Mexico-U.S. border, there has been little work in quantifying risk. Therefore, our study aims to develop a methodology projecting increase in core temperature over time and space for migrants in Southern Arizona using spatial analysis and remote sensing in combination with the heat balance equation-adapting physiological formulae to a multi-step geospatial model using local climate conditions, terrain, and body specifics. We sought to quantitatively compare the results by demographic categories of age and sex and qualitatively compare them to known terrestrial conditions and prior studies of those conditions. We demonstrated a more detailed measure of risk for migrants than those used most recently: energy expenditure and terrain ruggedness. Our study not only gives a better understanding of the ‘funnel effect’ mechanisms, but also provides an opportunity for relief and rescue operations.
INTRODUCTION: Haemagogus are mosquitoes with diurnal habits that live preferentially in forest areas. In Brazil, they are considered the primary vectors of wild yellow fever. METHODS: The ecological relationships between Haemagogus spegazzinii, the environment, and some of its activities in the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte were analyzed by collecting eggs with ovitraps, actively searching in tree holes, capturing adults in Shannon traps, and conducting an investigation for viral infections. RESULTS: A total of 2420 eggs, 271 immature specimens (larvae and pupae), and 206 adults were collected. Egg collection depended on rainfall and relative humidity, with oviposition occurring between January and May. Larvae were found in five plant species, including Tabebuia aurea (craibeira), with 160 larvae collected. We observed shared breeding sites between Hg. spegazzinii and the following species: Aedes albopictus, Aedes terrens, Culex spp., and Toxorhynchites theobaldi. Adults exhibited greater activity between 5 pm and 6 pm, when 191 (92.7%) specimens were captured, while only 1 (0.5%) was collected between 7 pm and 8 pm. The relationship between Hg. spegazzinii and rainfall was significant, with positive correlations with accumulated rainfall 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 days before mosquito collection. We found that the species was infected with the DENV-2 virus. CONCLUSIONS: This work contributes new information on the bioecology of Hg. spegazzinii, with data on the main reproduction periods, oviposition, breeding sites, activity times, and the relationship between the species and meteorological variables in the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil.
Air pollution regulation requires knowing major sources on any given zone, setting specific controls, and assessing how health risks evolve in response to those controls. Receptor models (RM) can identify major sources: transport, industry, residential, etc. However, RM results are typically available for short term periods, and there is a paucity of RM results for developing countries. We propose to combine a cluster analysis (CA) of air pollution and meteorological measurements with a short-term RM analysis to estimate a long-term, hourly source apportionment of ambient PM(2.5) and PM(10). We have developed a proof of the concept for this proposed methodology in three case studies: a large metropolitan zone, a city with dominant residential wood burning (RWB) emissions, and a city in the middle of a desert region. We have found it feasible to identify the major sources in the CA results and obtain hourly time series of their contributions, effectively extending short-term RM results to the whole ambient monitoring period. This methodology adds value to existing ambient data. The hourly time series results would allow researchers to apportion health benefits associated with specific air pollution regulations, estimate source-specific trends, improve emission inventories, and conduct environmental justice studies, among several potential applications.
