TY - JOUR
T1 - Impacts of Climate Change on Health and Health Services in Northern New South Wales, Australia: A Rapid Review
AU - Lee, Grace
AU - Vine, Kristina
AU - Atkinson, Amba-Rose
AU - Tong, Michael
AU - Longman, Jo
AU - Barratt, Alexandra
AU - Bailie, Ross
AU - Vardoulakis, Sotiris
AU - Matthews, Veronica
AU - Rahman, Kazi
N1 - Funding Information:
This research comes from a part of a commissioned Evidence Check funded by the Northern NSW Local Health District with the support of the Sax Institute. M.T. and S.V. receive funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (HEAL National Research Network, Grant No. 2008937).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/7/3
Y1 - 2023/7/3
N2 - Climate change is exposing populations to increasing temperatures and extreme weather events in many parts of Australia. To prepare for climate challenges, there is a growing need for Local Health Districts (LHDs) to identify potential health impacts in their region and strengthen the capacity of the health system to respond accordingly. This rapid review summarised existing evidence and research gaps on the impact of climate change on health and health services in Northern New South Wales (NSW)—a ‘hotspot’ for climate disaster declarations. We systematically searched online databases and selected 11 peer-reviewed studies published between 2012–2022 for the Northern NSW region. The most explored health outcome was mental health in the aftermath of floods and droughts, followed by increased healthcare utilisation due to respiratory, cardiovascular and mortality outcomes associated with bushfire smoke or heat waves. Future research directions were recommended to understand: the compounding impacts of extreme events on health and the health system, local data needs that can better inform models that predict future health risks and healthcare utilisation for the region, and the needs of vulnerable populations that require a whole-of-system response during the different phases of disasters. In conclusion, the review provided climate change and health research directions the LHD may undertake to inform future adaptation and mitigation policies and strategies relevant to their region.
AB - Climate change is exposing populations to increasing temperatures and extreme weather events in many parts of Australia. To prepare for climate challenges, there is a growing need for Local Health Districts (LHDs) to identify potential health impacts in their region and strengthen the capacity of the health system to respond accordingly. This rapid review summarised existing evidence and research gaps on the impact of climate change on health and health services in Northern New South Wales (NSW)—a ‘hotspot’ for climate disaster declarations. We systematically searched online databases and selected 11 peer-reviewed studies published between 2012–2022 for the Northern NSW region. The most explored health outcome was mental health in the aftermath of floods and droughts, followed by increased healthcare utilisation due to respiratory, cardiovascular and mortality outcomes associated with bushfire smoke or heat waves. Future research directions were recommended to understand: the compounding impacts of extreme events on health and the health system, local data needs that can better inform models that predict future health risks and healthcare utilisation for the region, and the needs of vulnerable populations that require a whole-of-system response during the different phases of disasters. In conclusion, the review provided climate change and health research directions the LHD may undertake to inform future adaptation and mitigation policies and strategies relevant to their region.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164845694&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136285
DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136285
M3 - Review article
SN - 1660-4601
VL - 20
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
IS - 13
M1 - 6285
ER -