Surreal illustration of climate change impacting health and environment.

Climate Change and Your Health: What You Need to Know

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Theo Raines in Health & Wellness August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Uncover the surprising ways global warming impacts your well-being and how you can protect yourself."


Climate change, driven by human activities, poses a significant and growing threat to global health. The rise in global temperatures and altered weather patterns are not just environmental concerns; they directly impact our physical and mental well-being, leading to a range of health issues.

This article explores the intricate relationship between climate change and human health, drawing upon research to highlight the specific ways our health is being affected. From the air we breathe to the food we eat, the consequences of a changing climate are far-reaching.

Understanding these impacts is the first step toward protecting ourselves and our communities. We'll delve into practical strategies and preventative measures that can help mitigate the health risks associated with climate change and create a healthier future.

The Ripple Effect: How Climate Change Impacts Your Health

Surreal illustration of climate change impacting health and environment.

The effects of climate change on health are diverse and interconnected. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events create a cascade of consequences that directly and indirectly affect human health. Let's break down some of the key areas of impact:

Heat stress becomes a major concern as temperatures rise, particularly in urban areas. The 'urban heat island effect,' caused by heat-absorbing surfaces like concrete and asphalt, exacerbates this issue. This leads to increased rates of heatstroke, cardiovascular strain, and other heat-related illnesses, especially among vulnerable populations like the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. Vulnerable populations are affected.

  • Heat Stress: Increased risk of heatstroke and cardiovascular strain, especially in urban areas.
  • Respiratory Issues: Exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory illnesses due to increased air pollution and ozone levels.
  • Infectious Diseases: Changes in the distribution and transmission of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
  • Malnutrition: Disrupted food production and supply chains, leading to food insecurity and nutritional deficiencies.
  • Mental Health: Increased stress, anxiety, and depression related to displacement, economic hardship, and loss of community due to extreme weather events.
Extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, further compound these health risks. Floods can cause direct injuries, contaminate water supplies leading to infectious diseases, and disrupt healthcare services. Droughts, on the other hand, lead to water scarcity, malnutrition, and increased risk of wildfires, which release harmful pollutants into the air. These events disproportionately affect vulnerable communities with limited resources and infrastructure.

Taking Action: Protecting Your Health in a Changing Climate

While the challenges posed by climate change are significant, there are steps we can take to protect our health and build more resilient communities. Individual actions, community initiatives, and policy changes all play a crucial role in mitigating the health impacts of climate change.

At the individual level, we can reduce our carbon footprint by adopting sustainable practices such as conserving energy, using public transportation, eating a plant-based diet, and supporting local and sustainable businesses. We can also protect ourselves from extreme weather events by preparing emergency kits, staying informed about weather alerts, and following safety guidelines.

At the community and policy levels, we can advocate for policies that promote clean energy, reduce air pollution, improve public transportation, and strengthen public health infrastructure. By working together, we can create healthier, more sustainable communities that are better equipped to address the challenges of a changing climate. It's important to support initiatives that promote climate resilience and protect vulnerable populations.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.5124/jkma.2011.54.2.149, Alternate LINK

Title: Climate Change And Human Health

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Journal of the Korean Medical Association

Publisher: Korean Medical Association (KAMJE)

Authors: Soo-Jong Hong, Ju-Hee Seo

Published: 2011-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

1

How does climate change affect human health?

Climate change is driven by human activities and significantly impacts global health through rising temperatures and altered weather patterns. This leads to direct effects like increased heat waves and indirect effects such as the spread of infectious diseases and nutritional challenges. Understanding these impacts is vital for protecting ourselves and our communities, including mitigating the health risks and creating a healthier future.

2

What are the main health impacts of climate change?

The most immediate health risk is Heat Stress, which includes heatstroke and cardiovascular strain, particularly in urban areas due to the urban heat island effect. Other significant health impacts include Respiratory Issues from increased air pollution and ozone levels, Infectious Diseases due to changes in disease distribution, Malnutrition from disrupted food production, and Mental Health challenges stemming from displacement and economic hardship caused by extreme weather events. Each of these areas can severely affect overall health and well-being.

3

How does climate change impact infectious diseases?

Climate change influences Infectious Diseases by altering the distribution and transmission patterns of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever. Changes in temperature and precipitation create more favorable environments for disease vectors like mosquitoes, increasing their geographic range and the duration of their breeding seasons. This results in a higher risk of infection and wider spread of these diseases, especially in regions where they were previously less common or absent.

4

What are the implications of extreme weather events on health?

Extreme weather events such as floods and droughts have severe implications. Floods can cause injuries, contaminate water supplies leading to the spread of infectious diseases, and disrupt healthcare services. Droughts lead to water scarcity, malnutrition, and increase the risk of wildfires. These events disproportionately affect vulnerable communities with limited resources, exacerbating health disparities and increasing the overall burden on healthcare systems.

5

What can be done to protect health in the face of climate change?

To protect your health in a changing climate, a combination of individual actions, community initiatives, and policy changes is needed. Individuals can reduce their carbon footprint by adopting sustainable practices. Community initiatives, such as improving infrastructure, can help to build resilient communities. At the policy level, efforts to mitigate climate change can help to build a healthier future.

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