Written by Sandhya Raghavan | Updated : April 28, 2017 10:46 AM IST
Our planet is inching closer and closer towards a more polluted and a toxic future. The climate has turned warmer, the precipitation levels in the air have increased, greenhouse gases are on the rise and the world over the weather patterns have changed. It’s inevitable that such conditions will have a destructive impact on human health. Here are 5 ways in which our health can take a turn for the worse due to climate change.
Worsening of COPD: COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder. It is an umbrella term used for a group of lung ailments that are progressive in nature. One of the biggest causes of COPD is pollution and smoke inhalation. Studies have shown that increase in particle precipitation due to global warming has caused a spike in mortality rates among people suffering from COPD [1]. Pulmonologist Dr Mitali Agrawal states, “Those with underlying COPD can expect their conditions to worsen due to climate change.”
Increase in allergies: When there is an increase in temperature and Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, plants tend to grow more vigorously since CO2 is plant food. As a result, they produce and release more pollen into the air trigger cases of allergic attacks in people. [2]
Increase in acute and chronic airway diseases: Breathing the air laden with precipitation and pollen causes diseases of the airway, both the chronic and acute kind according to Dr Agrawal.
Increase in vector-borne diseases: Climate change and increasing heats create a perfect breeding ground for vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease, malaria and dengue fever. Eggs of mosquitoes and ticks hatch faster in hotter climates, increasing the risk for such diseases. [3]
Worsening of asthma: Increase in heat and particle precipitation in the atmosphere can trigger attacks of asthma in people who already suffer from the condition according to Dr Agrawal.
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