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McGushin A, Gasparri G, Graef V, Ngendahayo C, Timilsina S, Bustreo F, Costello A. Adolescent wellbeing and climate crisis: adolescents are responding, what about health professionals? BMJ 2022; 379:e071690. [PMID: 36302556 PMCID: PMC9600164 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-071690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Alice McGushin and colleagues argue for recognition of the diverse ways in which climate change affects adolescent wellbeing and call for health professionals to work with them to respond to the crisis
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice McGushin
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, United Kingdom
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Gasparri
- Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viola Graef
- The MHPSS Collaborative, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | - Anthony Costello
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, United Kingdom
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52
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Argent AC, Ranjit S, Peters MJ, Andre-von Arnim AVS, Chisti MJ, Jabornisky R, Musa NL, Kissoon N. Factors to be Considered in Advancing Pediatric Critical Care Across the World. Crit Care Clin 2022; 38:707-720. [PMID: 36162906 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccc.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews the many factors that have to be taken into account as we consider the advancement of pediatric critical care (PCC) in multiple settings across the world. The extent of PCC and the range of patients who are cared for in this environment are considered. Along with a review of the ongoing treatment and technology advances in the PCC setting, the structures and systems required to support these services are also considered. Finally the question of how PCC can be made sustainable in a volatile world with the impacts of global crises such as climate change is addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Argent
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
| | - Suchitra Ranjit
- Pediatric ICU, Apollo Children's Hospital, 15, Shafee Mhd Road, Chennai 600006, India
| | - Mark J Peters
- University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 3JH, UK; Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Amelie von Saint Andre-von Arnim
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, University of Washington, Seattle Children's, 4800 Sand Point Way NorthEast, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle Children's, 4800 Sand Point Way NorthEast, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Md Jobayer Chisti
- ARI Ward, Dhaka Hospital, Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Roberto Jabornisky
- Universidad Nacional Del Nordeste, Argentina. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (Hospital Juan Pablo II and Hospital Olga Stuky) Argentina, Sociedad Latinoamericana de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, LARed Network, Universidad Nacional Del Nordeste, 1420 Mariano Moreno, Corrientes 3400, Argentina
| | - Ndidiamaka L Musa
- Paediatric Critical Care, University of Washington, 4800 Sand Point Way NorthEast, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Niranjan Kissoon
- British Columbia Children's Hospital and The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada
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53
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Gozderesi Y, Tsagkaris C, Eleftheriades A, Pervanidou P. To pollute or not to pollute? Decreasing the ecological footprint of pediatrics in the COVID-19 era. THE JOURNAL OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH 2022; 8:100141. [PMID: 35601269 PMCID: PMC9113769 DOI: 10.1016/j.joclim.2022.100141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The climate crisis impacts child health, increasing the burden of pediatric healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ecological footprint of pediatric healthcare has significantly increased due to the use of personal protective equipment and the provision of large-scale testing and vaccination against COVID-19. The situation calls for coordinated action to make pediatric healthcare more resource-efficient. To achieve this goal, pediatricians should work together with children and parents in order to appropriately minimize the use of electricity, water, paper and plastic and promote environmental sustainability in healthcare and beyond. The present article discusses the main sources of environmental pollution in pediatric healthcare and proposes evidence-based solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christos Tsagkaris
- European Student Think Tank, Public Health and Policy Working Group, 1058 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna Eleftheriades
- European Student Think Tank, Public Health and Policy Working Group, 1058 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiota Pervanidou
- Unit of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, First Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, NKUA, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
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54
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Hughes RC, Antonio M, Osborne R, Mayhew SH, Haines A. A healthy future for children and adolescents. Lancet 2022; 400:1101. [PMID: 36183724 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(22)01605-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Hughes
- Department of Population Health, Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | | | - Rhiannon Osborne
- University of Cambridge School of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Susannah H Mayhew
- Centre of Maternal Child and Adolescent Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Andy Haines
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
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55
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Adeleye BN, Olohunlana AO, Ibukun CO, Soremi T, Suleiman B. Mortality rate, carbon emissions, renewable energy and per capita income nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274447. [PMID: 36107962 PMCID: PMC9477355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study exclusively contributes to the health-environment discourse by using mortality rates, carbon emissions (proxy for environmental degradation), renewable energy and real per capita income to investigate these intrinsic relationships. This study uses an unbalanced sample of 47 Sub-Saharan African countries from 2005-2019 to reveal that: (1) both carbon emissions and renewable energy are associated with higher mortality rates; (2) real per capita income is associated with reducing mortality rates; (3) per capita income attenuates the effect of renewable energy on mortality rates, (4) persistency in mortalities exist; and (5) the health-environment-energy-income dynamics differ across income groups. Additionally, this study submits that the interaction of renewable energy and real per capita income dampens the positive effect of renewable energy on mortality rates and supports the argument that income levels lessen the extent of mortalities. Besides, these results vividly show that real per capita income reduces the devastating effect of renewable energy on infant and under-5 mortality rates from 0.942% to 0.09%, 2.42% to 0.55%, 1.04% to 0.09% and 2.8% to 0.64% for high and middle-income countries, respectively. This is a novel and significant contribution to the health-environment literature. Hence, real per capita income is a crucial determinant of mortality rate. Policy recommendations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bosede Ngozi Adeleye
- Department of Economics and Development Studies, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Centre for Economic Policy and Development Research (CEPDeR), Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Ogun, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Titilayo Soremi
- Department of Political Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
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Lakhoo DP, Blake HA, Chersich MF, Nakstad B, Kovats S. The Effect of High and Low Ambient Temperature on Infant Health: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9109. [PMID: 35897477 PMCID: PMC9331681 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Children, and particularly infants, have physiological, anatomic, and social factors that increase vulnerability to temperature extremes. We performed a systematic review to explore the association between acute adverse infant outcomes (children 0-1 years) and exposure to high and low ambient temperatures. MEDLINE (Pubmed), Embase, CINAHL Plus, and Global Health were searched alongside the reference lists of key papers. We included published journal papers in English that assessed adverse infant outcomes related to short-term weather-related temperature exposure. Twenty-six studies met our inclusion criteria. Outcomes assessed included: infant mortality (n = 9), sudden infant death syndrome (n = 5), hospital visits or admissions (n = 5), infectious disease outcomes (n = 5), and neonatal conditions such as jaundice (n = 2). Higher temperatures were associated with increased risk of acute infant mortality, hospital admissions, and hand, foot, and mouth disease. Several studies identified low temperature impacts on infant mortality and episodes of respiratory disease. Findings on temperature risks for sudden infant death syndrome were inconsistent. Only five studies were conducted in low- or middle-income countries, and evidence on subpopulations and temperature-sensitive infectious diseases was limited. Public health measures are required to reduce the impacts of heat and cold on infant health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darshnika Pemi Lakhoo
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa;
| | - Helen Abigail Blake
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
- Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London WC2A 3PA, UK
| | - Matthew Francis Chersich
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa;
| | - Britt Nakstad
- Division Paediatric Adolescent Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway;
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Botswana, Gaborone 4775, Botswana
| | - Sari Kovats
- Centre for Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederica Perera
- From the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, New York (F.P.); and the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, and Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (K.N.)
| | - Kari Nadeau
- From the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, New York (F.P.); and the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, and Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (K.N.)
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58
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Greenfield MH. An urgent need to reassess climate change and child labour in agriculture. Lancet Planet Health 2022; 6:e456-e457. [PMID: 35594894 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(22)00118-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hidayat Greenfield
- International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations Asia/Pacific, Melbourne, VIC 3008, Australia.
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59
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Mank I, Sorgho R, Zerbo F, Kagoné M, Coulibaly B, Oguso J, Mbata M, Khagayi S, Muok EMO, Sié A, Danquah I. ALIMUS-We are feeding! Study protocol of a multi-center, cluster-randomized controlled trial on the effects of a home garden and nutrition counseling intervention to reduce child undernutrition in rural Burkina Faso and Kenya. Trials 2022; 23:449. [PMID: 35650583 PMCID: PMC9157031 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06423-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change heavily affects child nutritional status in sub-Saharan Africa. Agricultural and dietary diversification are promising tools to balance agricultural yield losses and nutrient deficits in crops. However, rigorous impact evaluation of such adaptation strategies is lacking. This project will determine the potential of an integrated home gardening and nutrition counseling program as one possible climate change adaptation strategy to improve child health in rural Burkina Faso and Kenya. METHODS Based on careful co-design with stakeholders and beneficiaries, we conduct a multi-center, cluster-randomized controlled trial with 2 × 600 households in North-Western Burkina Faso and in South-Eastern Kenya. We recruit households with children at the age of complementary feed introduction (6-24 months) and with access to water sources. The intervention comprises the bio-diversification of horticultural home gardens and nutritional health counseling, using the 7 Essential Nutrition Action messages by the World Health Organization. After 12-months of follow-up, we will determine the intervention effect on the primary health outcome height-for-age z-score, using multi-level mixed models in an intention-to-treat approach. Secondary outcomes comprise other anthropometric indices, iron and zinc status, dietary behavior, malaria indicators, and household socioeconomic status. DISCUSSION This project will establish the potential of a home gardening and nutrition counseling program to counteract climate change-related quantitative and qualitative agricultural losses, thereby improving the nutritional status among young children in rural sub-Saharan Africa. TRIAL REGISTRATION German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00019076 . Registered on 27 July 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Mank
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), Bonn, Germany
| | - Raissa Sorgho
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fanta Zerbo
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - John Oguso
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Michael Mbata
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Sammy Khagayi
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Erick M O Muok
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR), Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Ina Danquah
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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60
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Montoro-Ramírez EM, Parra-Anguita L, Álvarez-Nieto C, Parra G, López-Medina I. Effects of climate change in the elderly's health: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e058063. [PMID: 35393324 PMCID: PMC8991045 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Climate change is a global problem that affects human health, especially the most vulnerable groups, including the elderly. However, no scope review includes the perspective of institutions specialised in climate change and health and whose reports are the basis for policies orientated on the environmental health. Therefore, this study aims to identify these effects on older people health. The results will allow health professionals to have valuable information enabling them to provide quality care in meeting the demand that this situation is producing. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A scoping review of the relevant literature will be performed from 2008 to 2021. The Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the PRISMA-Scoping Review Extension checklist will be used. A peer-reviewed search will be conducted using the electronic databases Medline, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane, PsycINFO and Cuiden Plus between October and December 2021. Original quantitative studies and reports from official agencies on the effects of climate change on the elderly health in any health and geographical context will be included. Literature selection will be made by two reviewers. The table format used for data extraction will be reviewed by the review team and tested by two reviewers. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study does not require approval by an ethics committee to be conducted. This article will result in the mapping of the direct and indirect effects of climate change on the health of the elderly. The results will be published in scientific journals to be accessible to health professionals in the creation of care plans for the elderly at climate risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gema Parra
- Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Jaén, Jaen, Spain
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Bonell A, Badjie J, Jammeh S, Ali Z, Hydara M, Davies A, Faal M, Ahmed AN, Hand W, Prentice AM, Murray KA, Scheelbeek P. Grassroots and Youth-Led Climate Solutions From The Gambia. Front Public Health 2022; 10:784915. [PMID: 35462834 PMCID: PMC9021377 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.784915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change and environmental degradation are among the greatest threats to human health. Youth campaigners have very effectively focused global attention on the crisis, however children from the Global South are often under-represented (sometimes deliberately) in the dialogue. In The Gambia, West Africa, the impacts of climate change are already being directly experienced by the population, and this will worsen in coming years. There is strong government and community commitment to adapt to these challenges, as evidenced by The Gambia currently being the only country on target to meet the Paris agreement according to the Nationally Determined Contributions, but again children's voices are often missing-while their views could yield valuable additional insights. Here, we describe a "Climate Change Solutions Festival" that targeted and engaged school children from 13 to 18 years, and is to our knowledge, the first peer-to-peer (and student-to-professional) learning festival on climate change solutions for students in The Gambia. The event gave a unique insight into perceived climate change problems and scalable, affordable and sometimes very creative solutions that could be implemented in the local area. Logistical and practical methods for running the festival are shared, as well as details on all solutions demonstrated in enough detail to be duplicated. We also performed a narrative review of the most popular stalls to explore the scientific basis of these solutions and discuss these in a global context. Overall, we find extremely strong, grass-roots and student engagement in the Gambia and clear evidence of learning about climate change and the impacts of environmental degradation more broadly. Nevertheless, we reflect that in order to enact these proposed local solutions further steps to evaluate acceptability of adoption, feasibility within the communities, cost-benefit analyses and ability to scale solutions are needed. This could be the focus of future experiential learning activities with students and partnering stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Bonell
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jainaba Badjie
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Sariba Jammeh
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Zakari Ali
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | | | | | | | - Aliyu Nuhu Ahmed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - William Hand
- Banjul American International School, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Andrew M. Prentice
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Kris A. Murray
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pauline Scheelbeek
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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Climate Change and Its Effects on Children and Adolescents: a Call to Action. CURRENT PEDIATRICS REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40124-022-00263-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Nilsson M, Emilsson C, Jonsson A, Tomson G, Meijer S, Östman L, Magnusson U. Stronger efforts are needed to safeguard the nutrition of school aged children. BMJ 2022; 376:o623. [PMID: 35264329 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.o623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Nilsson
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Emilsson
- Swedish Institute for Global Health Transformation (SIGHT), Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sweden
| | | | | | - Sebastiaan Meijer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
| | - Leif Östman
- Department of Education, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Ulf Magnusson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
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Sharpe I, Davison CM. A Scoping Review of Climate Change, Climate-Related Disasters, and Mental Disorders among Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052896. [PMID: 35270593 PMCID: PMC8910112 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Children, particularly those living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), are highly vulnerable to climate change and its impacts. Our main objective was to conduct a scoping literature review to determine how exposure to climate change and climate-related disasters influences the presence of mental disorders among children in LMICs. We also aimed to identify gaps in this area of scholarship. We included studies of children in LMICs that had a climate change or climate-related disaster exposure and mental disorder outcome. Twenty-three studies were included in the final synthesis. Fourteen studies were conducted in China, three in India, two each in Pakistan and the Philippines, and one each in Namibia and Dominica. All studies assessed the association between a climate-related disaster exposure and a mental disorder outcome, while none explored broader climate change-related exposures. Post-traumatic stress disorder (n = 21 studies) and depression (n = 8 studies) were the most common mental disorder outcomes. There was considerable between-study heterogeneity in terms of sample size, follow-up length, and outcome measurement. Overall, the literature in this area was sparse. Additional high-quality research is required to better understand the impacts of climate-related disasters and climate change on mental disorders within this population to ultimately inform future policies and interventions.
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Urrutia-Pereira M, Guidos-Fogelbach G, Solé D. Climate changes, air pollution and allergic diseases in childhood and adolescence. J Pediatr (Rio J) 2022; 98 Suppl 1:S47-S54. [PMID: 34896064 PMCID: PMC9510908 DOI: 10.1016/j.jped.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyze the impacts of climate change on the development of immature respiratory and immune systems in children. SOURCE OF DATA The authors of the present study performed a non-systematic review of English, Spanish, and Portuguese articles published in the last five years in databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, and SciELO. The terms used were air pollution OR climate changes OR smoke, AND children OR health. SYNTHESIS OF DATA The increase in the prevalence of some diseases, such as allergic ones, is attributed to the interactions between genetic potential and the environment. However, disordered growth combined with inadequate waste management has caused problems for the planet, such as heatwaves, droughts, forest fires, increased storms and floods, interference in food crops and their nutritional values, changes in the infectious disease pattern, and air pollution resulting from the continuous use of fossil fuels. Children, beings still in the development stage with immature respiratory and immune systems, are the primary victims of the climate crisis. CONCLUSIONS The authors documented that prenatal and postnatal exposure to ambient air pollutants will accelerate or worsen the morbidity and mortality of many health conditions, including allergic diseases. Ambient air pollutants change the microbiota, interfere with the immune response, and take direct action on the skin and respiratory epithelium, which facilitates the penetration of allergens. Understanding how the children and adolescent health and well-being are affected by climate change is an urgent matter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guillermo Guidos-Fogelbach
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Postgraduate Department, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Dirceu Solé
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Departamento de Pediatria, Divisão de Alergia, Imunologia Clínica e Reumatologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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The Effect of Prenatal Exposure to Climate Anomaly on Adulthood Cognitive Function and Job Reputation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052523. [PMID: 35270216 PMCID: PMC8909085 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Background: The long-term effect of abnormal climate on cognitive function and socioeconomic status remains elusive. We explored the association between prenatal exposure to climate anomaly and adulthood cognitive function and job reputation. Methods: We obtained repeated cognitive and job reputation measurements from 17,105 subjects for the years 2010, 2014, and 2018, and ascertained their birth date and other covariates. We used sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the Southern Pacific Ocean as the indicator for global climate anomaly in the main analyses. We calculated its averaged values for different gestational periods and analyzed its possible nonlinear associations with adulthood cognitive function and job reputation. We also calculated associated economic loss due to prenatal exposure to abnormal climate. Results: We found an inverted U-shaped curve between climate anomaly and adulthood cognition. During the entire pregnancy, for SST anomalies increasing/decreasing 1 °C from 0 °C, newborn individuals will have adulthood cognition (measured by math test) changed by −2.09% (95% confidence interval (CI): −2.31%, −1.88%) and −3.98% (95% CI: −4.32%, −3.65%), respectively. We observed a similar inverted U-shaped pattern for cognitive function measured by word test and job reputation. Such an association is likely to be mediated by regional meteorological conditions, not local ones. Subgroup analyses identified females and people from less-developed regions as even more vulnerable to prenatal abnormal climate, finding an interactive effect with other social factors. The economic loss was assessed as the salary reduction due to declined cognition among all newborn individuals in China. For SST anomalies increasing/decreasing by 1 °C from 0 °C, individuals born each year in China would earn 0.33 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.25) and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.23, 0.94) billion U.S. dollars equivalent less in their annual salary at adulthood because of lowered cognitive function, respectively. Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to abnormal global climate patterns can result in declined adulthood cognitive function, lowered job reputation, and subsequent economic loss.
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Marine Survival in the Mediterranean: A Pilot Study on the Cognitive and Cardiorespiratory Response to Sudden Cool Water Immersion. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031601. [PMID: 35162622 PMCID: PMC8834950 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Background and Aim: The Mediterranean is one of the major gateways of human migratory fluxes from Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia to Europe. Sea accidents have become an urgent humanitarian crisis due to the high number of migrants on the move, but data on the physiological effects to sudden cool water immersion are not as extensive as cold-water studies. We wanted to evaluate to what extent cool water immersion (~18 °C) may detrimentally affect cognitive ability and cardiorespiratory strain compared to the more prevalent cold-water (<10–15 °C) studies. Methods: In this case, 10 active, healthy men participated in this study which consisted of completing one familiarization trial, and then a control (CON) or experimental (EXP) trial in a randomized, repeated-measures, cross-over fashion, separated by at least 7-days. Cognitive function was assessed via the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), a code substitution test, performed at baseline, then repeated in either a thermoneutral (~25 °C room air) dry environment, or when immersed to the neck in 18 °C water. Testing consisted of six “Step” time-blocks 45-s each, with a 5-s pause between each Step. Cardiorespiratory measures, continuously recorded, included heart rate (beats per minute), minute ventilation (V˙E, L∙min−1), oxygen consumption (V˙O2, L∙min−1), and respiratory frequency (fR, count∙min−1). Results: Initial responses to cool water (<2 min) found that participants performed ~11% worse on the code substitution test (p = 0.025), consumed 149% greater amounts of oxygen (CI: 5.1 to 9.1 L∙min−1, p < 0.0001) and experienced higher cardiovascular strain (HR CI: 13 to 38 beats per minute, p = 0.001) than during the control trial. Physiological strain was in-line to those observed in much colder water temperature. Conclusion: Sudden, cool water immersion also negatively affects cognitive function and cardiorespiratory strain, especially during the first two minutes of exposure. The magnitude increase in heart rate is strongly associated with poorer cognitive function, even in (relatively) warmer water consistent with temperatures found in the Mediterranean Sea environment.
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68
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Ahmed Hanifi SMM, Menon N, Quisumbing A. The impact of climate change on children's nutritional status in coastal Bangladesh. Soc Sci Med 2022; 294:114704. [PMID: 35030394 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This paper studies the impact of climate change on the nutritional status of very young children between the ages of 0-3 years by using weather data from the last half century merged with rich information on child, mother, and household characteristics in rural coastal Bangladesh. We evaluate the health consequences of rising temperature and relative humidity and varying rainfall jointly employing alternate functional forms. Leveraging models that control for annual trends and location-specific seasonality, and that allow the impacts of temperature to vary non-parametrically while rainfall and humidity have flexible non-linear forms, we find that temperatures that exceed 25 °C (the "comfortable" benchmark) in the month of birth exert negative effects on children's nutritional status as measured by mid upper arm circumference. Humidity has a positive impact which persists when child, mother and household controls are included. We find that exposure to changing climate in utero also matters. Explanations for these results include consequences of weather fluctuations on the extent of pasture, cropland, and rainfed lands planted with rice and other crops, and on mother's age at first marriage. Our results underline that climate change has real consequences for the health of very young populations in vulnerable areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Manzoor Ahmed Hanifi
- Health System and Population Studies Division, International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, GPO Box 128, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
| | - Nidhiya Menon
- Department of Economics, MS 021, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA.
| | - Agnes Quisumbing
- Health, and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, 1201 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20005, USA.
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69
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Leffers JM. Climate Change and Health of Children: Our Borrowed Future. J Pediatr Health Care 2022; 36:12-19. [PMID: 34736812 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Children are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of physiological, developmental, behavioral, and social factors. In addition, they are likely to bear the consequences of these impacts over their life course. This paper reviews the health impacts of climate change on children's health, highlights specific vulnerabilities and offers recommendations to pediatric health care professionals for mitigation, adaptation, policy, and personal interventions to address our changing climate. Health care professionals can help families in mitigation and adaptation strategies to reduce their risk from climate change.
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70
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van Nieuwenhuizen A, Hudson K, Chen X, Hwong AR. The Effects of Climate Change on Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Clinical Considerations. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2021; 23:88. [PMID: 34874507 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-021-01296-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review recent literature on the effects of climate change on child and adolescent mental health and discuss treatment and engagement by clinicians. RECENT FINDINGS Climate change affects child and adolescent mental health in many intersecting ways, including as a social and ecological determinant of health, a threat amplifier, and a source of trauma and distress. Single extreme weather events contribute to significant negative mental health consequences; however, subacute and chronic climate events also have mental health sequelae. Furthermore, awareness of the climate crisis is associated with emotional distress. Young people with pre-existing mental illness and lacking social support may be at elevated risk for climate change-related mental health effects. Climate activism is associated with resilience and positive development, but may also be a source of increased stress, particularly for marginalized youths. Climate change can affect the mental health of children and adolescents in complex and diverse ways. Sources of coping and resilience also vary greatly between individuals. Mental health clinicians must respond to this existential crisis by addressing research gaps in this area, obtaining relevant clinical training, educating their communities, and joining and supporting young people in their advocacy efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelsey Hudson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoxuan Chen
- UC Berkeley- UCSF Joint Medical Program, San Francisco, USA
| | - Alison R Hwong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.,San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco National Clinician Scholars Program, San Francisco, USA
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71
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Morrison SA, Meh K, Sember V, Starc G, Jurak G. The Effect of Pandemic Movement Restriction Policies on Children's Physical Fitness, Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep. Front Public Health 2021; 9:785679. [PMID: 34938712 PMCID: PMC8685208 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.785679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The negative impact of isolation, confinement, and physical (in)activity due to pandemic movement restriction has been well-documented over the past year, but less is known on the impact of these policies on children's physical fitness. This study was designed to determine the effects of pandemic movement restriction policies on the 24-hour movement behavior (24-HMB) of children, and whether any alterations are reflected in worsening physical fitness outcomes determined via direct testing. Methods: A two-phase, repeated-measures study with matched controls was conducted. Phase One: N = 62 schoolchildren (N = 31 female) completed self-assessment questionnaires on 24-HMB in October 2018 (pre-pandemic) and again in April 2020, at the height of movement restrictions enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic first wave. Phase Two: physical fitness of the original N = 62 children were determined directly pre- and post-isolation using an eight-component standardized fitness test battery and compared to N = 62 control children who were matched for age, sex, school region, and fitness centile scores. Results: During lockdown (total duration: 63 days), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) decreased by ~46 min per day, screen time demonstrated a significant interaction effect, such that kids reported spending less recreational screen time on weekends during lockdown compared to no restriction, and sleep duration was consistently lower (95% CI: -104.1 to -45.5 min, p < 0.001). No interaction effect was present for direct fitness indicators, including: hand tapping (reaction time), standing broad jump, polygon backward obstacle course (coordination), sit-ups, stand-and-reach, bent-arm hang, 60-m, and 600-m run (p ≥ 0.05) although significant main effects are noted for both sexes. Conclusion: Initial changes in 24-HMB did not translate to reductions in physical fitness per se, likely due to the high initial fitness levels of the children. Further work is needed to confirm whether longer or repeated movement restrictions exacerbate initial negative 24-HMB trends, especially for children who are less fit when restrictions are initiated, prolonged, or repeated.
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72
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Hickman C, Marks E, Pihkala P, Clayton S, Lewandowski RE, Mayall EE, Wray B, Mellor C, van Susteren L. Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey. Lancet Planet Health 2021; 5:e863-e873. [PMID: 34895496 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00278-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 81.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change has important implications for the health and futures of children and young people, yet they have little power to limit its harm, making them vulnerable to climate anxiety. This is the first large-scale investigation of climate anxiety in children and young people globally and its relationship with perceived government response. METHODS We surveyed 10 000 children and young people (aged 16-25 years) in ten countries (Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, India, Nigeria, Philippines, Portugal, the UK, and the USA; 1000 participants per country). Invitations to complete the survey were sent via the platform Kantar between May 18 and June 7, 2021. Data were collected on participants' thoughts and feelings about climate change, and government responses to climate change. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each aspect of climate anxiety, and Pearson's correlation analysis was done to evaluate whether climate-related distress, functioning, and negative beliefs about climate change were linked to thoughts and feelings about government response. FINDINGS Respondents across all countries were worried about climate change (59% were very or extremely worried and 84% were at least moderately worried). More than 50% reported each of the following emotions: sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty. More than 45% of respondents said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning, and many reported a high number of negative thoughts about climate change (eg, 75% said that they think the future is frightening and 83% said that they think people have failed to take care of the planet). Respondents rated governmental responses to climate change negatively and reported greater feelings of betrayal than of reassurance. Climate anxiety and distress were correlated with perceived inadequate government response and associated feelings of betrayal. INTERPRETATION Climate anxiety and dissatisfaction with government responses are widespread in children and young people in countries across the world and impact their daily functioning. A perceived failure by governments to respond to the climate crisis is associated with increased distress. There is an urgent need for further research into the emotional impact of climate change on children and young people and for governments to validate their distress by taking urgent action on climate change. FUNDING AVAAZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Hickman
- Department of Social & Policy Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
| | | | - Panu Pihkala
- Faculty of Theology and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Susan Clayton
- Department of Psychology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA
| | - R Eric Lewandowski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elouise E Mayall
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Britt Wray
- Stanford University Center for Innovation in Global Health and Stanford and Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Lise van Susteren
- Climate Psychiatry Alliance, Washington, DC, USA; Climate Psychology Alliance, Washington, DC, USA
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73
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Climate change and child health: An expanded conceptual framework. J Paediatr Child Health 2021. [PMID: 34792234 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.15735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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74
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Williams PC, Marais B, Isaacs D, Preisz A. Ethical considerations regarding the effects of climate change and planetary health on children. J Paediatr Child Health 2021; 57:1775-1780. [PMID: 34792245 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.15704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Climate change represents one of the most significant health challenges and global inequities of our generation. As a 'wicked' problem, climate change imposes an involuntary exposure on vulnerable individuals and societies that is regressive in its nature, with those least responsible for destroying planetary health at greatest risk of suffering the direct and indirect health consequences of unabated warming of the planet. The current and future generations of children are the most vulnerable population to suffer the effects of climate change. By 2030, there will be 131 000 additional child deaths each year if climate mitigation strategies are not enacted, driven by the synergy of an increasing burden of infectious diseases, food insecurity and political instability. Over half a billion of the world's children live in areas vulnerable to extreme weather events, and there is a pressing risk that our current lack of action to mitigate and adapt to climate change will result in today's children, and future generations, being the first to have poorer physical and mental health than previous generations - creating a significant intergenerational ethical dilemma. Child health-care professionals need to advocate for policies to address climate change that consider the complex health, planetary and ethical considerations necessary to solve the most significant risk to our children's health today. Without immediate action, the health of the current and future generations of children is perilous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Cm Williams
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Women and Children's Health, The University of NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ben Marais
- The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Isaacs
- The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Anne Preisz
- Clinical Ethics, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Sydney Health Ethics, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Bioethics Department, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
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75
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Williams PC, Bartlett AW, Howard-Jones A, McMullan B, Khatami A, Britton PN, Marais BJ. Impact of climate change and biodiversity collapse on the global emergence and spread of infectious diseases. J Paediatr Child Health 2021; 57:1811-1818. [PMID: 34792238 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.15681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The reality of climate change and biodiversity collapse is irrefutable in the 21st century, with urgent action required not only to conserve threatened species but also to protect human life and wellbeing. This existential threat forces us to recognise that our existence is completely dependent upon well-functioning ecosystems that sustain the diversity of life on our planet, including that required for human health. By synthesising data on the ecology, epidemiology and evolutionary biology of various pathogens, we are gaining a better understanding of factors that underlie disease emergence and spread. However, our knowledge remains rudimentary with limited insight into the complex feedback loops that underlie ecological stability, which are at risk of rapidly unravelling once certain tipping points are breached. In this paper, we consider the impact of climate change and biodiversity collapse on the ever-present risk of infectious disease emergence and spread. We review historical and contemporaneous infectious diseases that have been influenced by human environmental manipulation, including zoonoses and vector- and water-borne diseases, alongside an evaluation of the impact of migration, urbanisation and human density on transmissible diseases. The current lack of urgency in political commitment to address climate change warrants enhanced understanding and action from paediatricians - to ensure that we safeguard the health and wellbeing of children in our care today, as well as those of future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Cm Williams
- The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,The School of Women's and Children's Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Adam W Bartlett
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,The School of Women's and Children's Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Annaleise Howard-Jones
- The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brendan McMullan
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,The School of Women's and Children's Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ameneh Khatami
- The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Philip N Britton
- The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ben J Marais
- The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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76
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Arpin E, Gauffin K, Kerr M, Hjern A, Mashford-Pringle A, Barros A, Rajmil L, Choonara I, Spencer N. Climate Change and Child Health Inequality: A Review of Reviews. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10896. [PMID: 34682662 PMCID: PMC8535343 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence on the observed and expected consequences of climate change on population health worldwide. There is limited understanding of its consequences for child health inequalities, between and within countries. To examine these consequences and categorize the state of knowledge in this area, we conducted a review of reviews indexed in five databases (Medline, Embase, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts). Reviews that reported the effect of climate change on child health inequalities between low- and high-income children, within or between countries (high- vs low-middle-income countries; HICs and LMICs), were included. Twenty-three reviews, published between 2007 and January 2021, were included for full-text analyses. Using thematic synthesis, we identified strong descriptive, but limited quantitative, evidence that climate change exacerbates child health inequalities. Explanatory mechanisms relating climate change to child health inequalities were proposed in some reviews; for example, children in LMICs are more susceptible to the consequences of climate change than children in HICs due to limited structural and economic resources. Geographic and intergenerational inequalities emerged as additional themes from the review. Further research with an equity focus should address the effects of climate change on adolescents/youth, mental health and inequalities within countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Arpin
- Canadian Center for Health Economics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M6, Canada;
| | - Karl Gauffin
- Centre for Health Equity Studies, Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Meghan Kerr
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada;
| | - Anders Hjern
- Centre for Health Equity Studies, Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden;
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Solna, Sweden
| | | | - Aluisio Barros
- Center for Epidemiological Research, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas 96010-610, RS, Brazil;
| | - Luis Rajmil
- Independent Researcher, Homer 22, 1rst 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Imti Choonara
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby DE22 3DT, UK;
| | - Nicholas Spencer
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 9JD, UK;
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Miller GD, Kanter M, Rycken L, Comerford KB, Gardner NM, Brown KA. Food Systems Transformation for Child Health and Well-Being: The Essential Role of Dairy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10535. [PMID: 34639835 PMCID: PMC8507772 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Malnutrition, in all its forms, during the critical stages of child growth and development can have lifelong impacts on health and well-being. While most forms of malnutrition can be prevented with simple dietary interventions, both undernutrition and overnutrition remain persistent and burdensome challenges for large portions of the global population, especially for young children who are dependent on others for nourishment. In addition to dietary factors, children's health also faces the growing challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, pollution, and infectious disease. Food production and consumption practices both sit at the nexus of these issues, and both must be significantly transformed if we are to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Food sources (i.e., animal-source foods vs. plant-source foods), food production practices, the effects of food processing, the impacts of a more globalized food system, and food loss and waste have all been receiving growing attention in health and sustainability research and policy discussions. Much of this work points to recommendations to reduce resource-intensive animal-source foods, heavily processed foods, and foods associated with excessive waste and pollution, while simultaneously increasing plant-source options. However, some of these recommendations require a little more nuance when considered in the context of issues such as global child health. All types of foods can play significant roles in providing essential nutrition for children across the globe, and for improving the well-being and livelihoods of their families and communities. Dairy foods provide a prime example of this need for nuance, as both dairy production practices and consumption patterns vary greatly throughout the world, as do their impacts on child health and food system sustainability. The objective of this narrative review is to highlight the role of dairy in supporting child health in the context of food system sustainability. When considering child health within this context it is recommended to take a holistic approach that considers all four domains of sustainability (health, economics, society, and the environment) to better weigh trade-offs, optimize outcomes, and avoid unintended consequences. To ensure that children have access to nutritious and safe foods within sustainable food systems, special consideration of their needs must be included within the broader food systems transformation narrative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D. Miller
- National Dairy Council, Rosemont, IL 60018-5616, USA; (G.D.M.); (K.A.B.)
- Global Dairy Platform, Rosemont, IL 60018-5616, USA;
| | - Mitch Kanter
- Global Dairy Platform, Rosemont, IL 60018-5616, USA;
| | | | | | | | - Katie A. Brown
- National Dairy Council, Rosemont, IL 60018-5616, USA; (G.D.M.); (K.A.B.)
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Mank I, Belesova K, Bliefernicht J, Traoré I, Wilkinson P, Danquah I, Sauerborn R. The Impact of Rainfall Variability on Diets and Undernutrition of Young Children in Rural Burkina Faso. Front Public Health 2021; 9:693281. [PMID: 34616704 PMCID: PMC8489680 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.693281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Climate change and consequent increases in rainfall variability may have negative consequences for the food production of subsistence farmers in West Africa with adverse impacts on nutrition and health. We explored the pathway from rainfall through diet up to child undernutrition for rural Burkina Faso. Methods: The study used data of a dynamic cohort with 1,439 children aged 7-60 months from the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS) for 2017 to 2019. We assessed data on diets, height, weight, household characteristics, and daily precipitation (from 1981 to 2019). Principal component analysis was used to identify distinct child dietary patterns (Dietary Pattern Scores, DPS). These were related to 15 rainfall indicators by area to obtain a precipitation variability score (PVS) through reduced rank regression (RRR). Associations between the PVS and anthropometric measures, height-for-age (HAZ), and weight-for-height (WHZ), were examined using multi-level regression analysis. Results: Stunting (HAZ < -2) and wasting (WHZ < -2) were seen in 24 and 6% of the children. Three main dietary patterns were identified (market-based, vegetable-based, and legume-based diets) and showed mixed evidence for associations with child undernutrition. The RRR-derived PVS explained 14% of the total variance in these DPS. The PVS was characterized by more consecutive dry days during the rainy season, higher cumulative rainfall in July and more extremely wet days. A 1-point increase in the PVS was associated with a reduction of 0.029 (95% CI: -0.06, 0.00, p < 0.05) in HAZ in the unadjusted, and an increase by 0.032 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.06, p < 0.05) in WHZ in the fully adjusted model. Conclusion: Rainfall variability was associated with dietary patterns in young children of a rural population of Burkina Faso. Increased rainfall variability was associated with an increase in chronic undernutrition, but not in acute undernutrition among young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Mank
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kristine Belesova
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society and Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Bliefernicht
- Institute of Geography, Faculty of Applied Computer Science, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Issouf Traoré
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN), Institut National de Santé Publique, Nouna, Burkina Faso.,Institut Universitaire de Formations Initiale et Continue (IUFIC), Université Thomas Sankara (UTS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Paul Wilkinson
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society and Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Ina Danquah
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rainer Sauerborn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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79
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Vergunst F, Berry HL. Climate Change and Children’s Mental Health: A Developmental Perspective. Clin Psychol Sci 2021; 10:767-785. [PMID: 35846172 PMCID: PMC9280699 DOI: 10.1177/21677026211040787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is a major global public-health challenge that will have wide-ranging impacts on human psychological health and well-being. Children and adolescents are at particular risk because of their rapidly developing brain, vulnerability to disease, and limited capacity to avoid or adapt to threats and impacts. They are also more likely to worry about climate change than any other age group. Drawing on a developmental life-course perspective, we show that climate-change-related threats can additively, interactively, and cumulatively increase psychopathology risk from conception onward; that these effects are already occurring; and that they constitute an important threat to healthy human development worldwide. We then argue that monitoring, measuring, and mitigating these risks is a matter of social justice and a crucial long-term investment in developmental and mental health sciences. We conclude with a discussion of conceptual and measurement challenges and outline research priorities going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Vergunst
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal
- Ste-Justine University Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Helen L. Berry
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney
- Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University
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80
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Morrison SA, Périard JD, De Boever P, Daanen HAM. Editorial: The Effects of Climate Change and Environmental Factors on Exercising Children and Youth. Front Sports Act Living 2021; 3:690171. [PMID: 34124664 PMCID: PMC8192850 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2021.690171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shawnda A Morrison
- Center for Climate Change and Active Children, Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Julien D Périard
- Faculty of Health, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Patrick De Boever
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Hein A M Daanen
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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