About This Module

Topics: Human Health, Disease, Climate, CO₂-driven Changes, Insect Vectors, Water Quality
Grade levels: 9-12

Scenario

Studies have shown a close link between local climate characteristics and the occurrence of certain diseases. We also know that many environmental conditions affect human health, and these conditions can be greatly affected by climate and weather.

It has been estimated by the World Health Organization that climate changes have contributed to 150,000 deaths and 5 million illnesses each year and that one-fourth of the world’s diseases are because of the environmentally based contamination of air, water, soil, and food. Increases in temperatures and the resulting consequences have led to loss of life and decreased well-being of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

Most of the burden is carried by the world’s poorest people. Increased deaths and disease from malnutrition, diarrhea, malaria, heat waves, and floods occur in regions with little healthcare and poor emergency resources.

Consider the following when assessing the data for climate-related health issues:

• As populated areas become hotter, residents must adapt. The very young, the elderly, and people already stressed by disease and/or poverty are the most vulnerable.
• As temperatures over a region increase, the populations of disease-carrying insects may increase. Disease vectors, such as mosquitoes and ticks, increase along with the diseases they carry. Insect vectors are less likely to die if seasonal weather is not cold enough to kill them.
• Heat-related illnesses and deaths occur more frequently as the number of heat waves increase, especially in urban areas. Poor people who cannot afford air conditioning to escape the heat are most affected by heat waves.
• Higher temperatures increase ozone in the troposphere. Higher concentrations of ozone increase cardiovascular and pulmonary illnesses.
• Waterborne pathogens increase in areas hit by increased numbers of floods.
• Allergic diseases may increase with higher temperatures and longer growing seasons.
• It is estimated that up to 35,000 people in five countries died because of the 2003 European heat wave when temperatures were 20-30 percent above average.
• A July 1995 heat wave in the Chicago area killed more than 700 people.As populated areas become hotter, residents must adapt. The very young, the elderly, and people already stressed by disease and/or poverty are the most vulnerable.

As you work through this problem, use the related links and background information provided in the module to consider the interrelated aspects of potential global climate change. Human health may be affected by each aspect. A solid understanding of the mechanisms underlying the connections will allow for a more comprehensive report.

Task

As a research scientist working for the U.S. Panel on Global Climate Change Research, you and your colleagues have been collecting data in the field for months. Research on varying aspects of Earth’s diverse ecosystems has been studied, and your colleagues are just now gathering to share their experiences and their preliminary findings with the rest of the group.

With a major international conference looming, it’s time for all of you to analyze the data to formulate a comprehensive report on global climate change on Earth.

This conference requires more than a standard report citing data and displaying results in tables and graphs. Analysis of the data will be required to fully present an accurate picture of the state of the planet’s climate and trends that have been the focus of heated controversy and debate for the last decade. As a scientist, you naturally look at the data from purely objective perspectives.

An important element of the ongoing research on global climate change is the study of how any climate changes may affect human health. Understanding the mechanisms behind potential climate changes will allow accurate predictions of impacts to human health and the social and political factors that will affect the well-being of millions of Earth’s inhabitants.

Your team is tasked with researching the predicted climate changes and the corresponding impact, if any, that the changes will have on human health. You will be responsible for reporting both the changes and consequences. Once an accurate assessment is made, we can move on to resolutions that might alleviate any negative impacts.

In order to present accurate, complete, and valid findings you will have to:

1) Analyze the data and identify any trend that occurred in human health around the world.

Think before and after to help you identify a “big picture” of the parameter and the changes that may have occurred over decades.

2) What are the impacts of this change?

Impacts of changes in human health are both short and long term. The international panel will need to know impending impacts in order to plan for the future. What socioeconomic and environmental information is needed to accurately assess the risks?

3) What appears to be the source(s) of the changes? Can you identify a major cause?

This is very important to understanding the mechanisms that drive the change and, therefore, important to finding a possible solution or remediation of the impact.

4) What solutions or mediations do you see that could mitigate the change? How long would they take to make a difference? What are the pros and cons of the approach?

Sample Rubrics

The developing rubrics page in the Problem Based Learning section provides a content-specific rubric for the Human Health Effects module under the Sample Rubrics heading.

Learning Objectives

Alignment of Learning Objectives and Standards: Human Health as a Key Indicator