What Are the Implications of Climate Change for Public Health?
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Health
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Rutgers Climate Institute
What it is
- This video from Rutgers Climate Institute describes how increasing temperatures and heavier rains are connected to numerous health risks, including making it more difficult to access care.
- The potential physical and mental impacts are detailed, with special emphasis given to the most vulnerable groups, including the elderly, young children, and those with chronic health conditions.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The video includes the mental health concerns (like stress and depression) associated with navigating extreme weather events.
- This video features experts in the field.
Prerequisites
- Although the video was created with New Jersey in mind, the content applies generally to the United States and any location experiencing increasing temperatures and heavier rainfall.
- Students will get the most out of this video if they are already familiar with how climate change is increasing temperatures and changing rainfall patterns.
Differentiation & Implementation
- This resource can be incorporated into science lessons related to the impacts of climate change, the effects of changing precipitation patterns, and the spread of human diseases.
- Health classes can use this video when discussing health conditions like asthma, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and water-borne and vector-borne illnesses.
- Because this resource includes mental health effects, it connects well to social-emotional learning and can be used to start a conversation about the stress or anxiety that learning about and experiencing climate change may cause.
- Other resources related to the health effects of climate change include the ebook The Climate Crisis and Your Health and the Health library of images.
From the scientist review
The video underscores the impact of climate change on public health in New Jersey. It articulates how extreme heat would increase health conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases, water-borne diseases, etc. It calls for the government to improve health services as climate change could cause further stress on the mental health of New Jersey residents, especially the home-bound elderly. This is recommended for teaching.
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