Climate Change will impact on health

The British Medical Association  recognises the important role doctors have in tackling climate change and promoting the public health benefits of low carbon living.

Rising temperatures, changing sea levels and more frequent and extreme weather patterns will lead to increased morbidity and mortality associated with:

• changing patterns of infectious diseases 
  
• increased air pollution and UV radiation 
  
• flooding 
  
• heat waves 
  
• food and water shortages
  

The   BMA further stated that in the UK, direct impacts are likely to include increased deaths, disease and injury due to:

• heatwaves (with the greatest impact on the elderly, babies and young children, and people with ill-health) 
  
• flooding and storms (including drowning, chemical hazards and contamination of drinking water and mental stress) 
  
• increased spread of infections previously only seen in other parts of the world (such as tick-borne encephalitis, lyme disease, malaria, dengue, leptospirosis and West Nile Virus)
  
• reduced food safety associated with warmer temperatures 
  
• greater exposure to ultraviolet radiation with increased risk of sunburn, sunstroke and skin cancers  reduced air quality and increased pollens
  

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