Climate Effects on Health
The information on the health effects of climate change has been excerpted from the Third National Climate Assessment’s Health Chapterexternal icon.
Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health stressors, influences human health and disease in numerous ways. Some existing health threats will intensify and new health threats will emerge. Not everyone is equally at risk. Important considerations include age, economic resources, and location.
In the U.S., public health can be affected by disruptions of physical, biological, and ecological systems, including disturbances originating here and elsewhere. The health effects of these disruptions include increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, injuries and premature deaths related to extreme weather events, changes in the prevalence and geographical distribution of food- and water-borne illnesses and other infectious diseases, and threats to mental health.
For more on the effects of climate change on health in different regions, see “Preparing for the Regional Health Impacts of Climate Change in the United States.” pdf icon[PDF – 4 MB]
Download PowerPoint versions in English ppt icon[PPTX – 4.05 MB] and Spanish ppt icon[PPTX – 1.71 MB]
(use ‘slideshow’ mode for animation)
CDC and APHA Fact Sheets
- Extreme Rainfall and Drought Can Impact our Health pdf icon[PDF – 98 KB]
- Warmer Water and Flooding Increase the Risk of Illness or Injury pdf icon[PDF – 184 KB]
- Climate Change Decreases the Quality of the Air We Breathe pdf icon[PDF 111 KB]
- Extreme Heat Can Impact Our Health in Many Ways pdf icon[PDF – 108 KB]
- Climate Change Increases the Risk of Vector-Borne Diseases pdf icon[PDF – 112 KB]