Deadly Diarrhea Will Increase on Hotter, Drier Planet
New study found that the second most common cause of death for children is bound to increase under global warming
It kills over 1.5 million children every year and is a topic completely shunned by media and politics alike.
Diarrhea is not only deadly but the scope of its devastation is only going to proliferate as global warming continues to cause widespread drought and drive worldwide temperatures higher and higher.
A new study published earlier this week in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health uncovered a "surprising" correlation between diarrheal disease and hot, dry seasonal temperatures.
Examining data collected from Botswana health facilities over 30 years, the authors of Climate Change is Likely to Worsen the Public Health Threat of Diarrheal Disease in Botswana (pdf) found during these "dry season peaks," a proliferation of fly activity and density.
"This is significant, as flies can be important in the transmission of diarrheal disease-causing micro-organisms," said report co-author Kathleen Alexander, associate professor of wildlife at Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.
As global warming-induced drought continues to plague much of the world, the reality of a hotter, drier climate is undeniable.
The findings of the study are significant. The World Health Organization says that diarrhea is the second most common cause of death and the leading cause of malnutrition in children worldwide, primarily affecting children under two years old.
"Diarrheal disease is an important health challenge, accounting for the majority of childhood deaths globally and the second highest in Botswana," Alexander said. "Our findings suggest that climate change will increase the occurrence of diarrhea and the burden of disease among vulnerable populations in Botswana and similarly affected regions."
Though deadly, diarrhea is both a preventable and treatable disease. With increased understanding of "climate-health interactions," the authors emphasize the need for an "escalated public health focus," particularly on those populations most at-risk.
"Understanding the potential health impacts of climate change in low-income countries will be essential to developing mitigation and adaptive strategies designed to protect these vulnerable populations expected to be impacted the hardest but least able to adapt."
_____________________
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
It kills over 1.5 million children every year and is a topic completely shunned by media and politics alike.
Diarrhea is not only deadly but the scope of its devastation is only going to proliferate as global warming continues to cause widespread drought and drive worldwide temperatures higher and higher.
A new study published earlier this week in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health uncovered a "surprising" correlation between diarrheal disease and hot, dry seasonal temperatures.
Examining data collected from Botswana health facilities over 30 years, the authors of Climate Change is Likely to Worsen the Public Health Threat of Diarrheal Disease in Botswana (pdf) found during these "dry season peaks," a proliferation of fly activity and density.
"This is significant, as flies can be important in the transmission of diarrheal disease-causing micro-organisms," said report co-author Kathleen Alexander, associate professor of wildlife at Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.
As global warming-induced drought continues to plague much of the world, the reality of a hotter, drier climate is undeniable.
The findings of the study are significant. The World Health Organization says that diarrhea is the second most common cause of death and the leading cause of malnutrition in children worldwide, primarily affecting children under two years old.
"Diarrheal disease is an important health challenge, accounting for the majority of childhood deaths globally and the second highest in Botswana," Alexander said. "Our findings suggest that climate change will increase the occurrence of diarrhea and the burden of disease among vulnerable populations in Botswana and similarly affected regions."
Though deadly, diarrhea is both a preventable and treatable disease. With increased understanding of "climate-health interactions," the authors emphasize the need for an "escalated public health focus," particularly on those populations most at-risk.
"Understanding the potential health impacts of climate change in low-income countries will be essential to developing mitigation and adaptive strategies designed to protect these vulnerable populations expected to be impacted the hardest but least able to adapt."
_____________________
It kills over 1.5 million children every year and is a topic completely shunned by media and politics alike.
Diarrhea is not only deadly but the scope of its devastation is only going to proliferate as global warming continues to cause widespread drought and drive worldwide temperatures higher and higher.
A new study published earlier this week in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health uncovered a "surprising" correlation between diarrheal disease and hot, dry seasonal temperatures.
Examining data collected from Botswana health facilities over 30 years, the authors of Climate Change is Likely to Worsen the Public Health Threat of Diarrheal Disease in Botswana (pdf) found during these "dry season peaks," a proliferation of fly activity and density.
"This is significant, as flies can be important in the transmission of diarrheal disease-causing micro-organisms," said report co-author Kathleen Alexander, associate professor of wildlife at Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.
As global warming-induced drought continues to plague much of the world, the reality of a hotter, drier climate is undeniable.
The findings of the study are significant. The World Health Organization says that diarrhea is the second most common cause of death and the leading cause of malnutrition in children worldwide, primarily affecting children under two years old.
"Diarrheal disease is an important health challenge, accounting for the majority of childhood deaths globally and the second highest in Botswana," Alexander said. "Our findings suggest that climate change will increase the occurrence of diarrhea and the burden of disease among vulnerable populations in Botswana and similarly affected regions."
Though deadly, diarrhea is both a preventable and treatable disease. With increased understanding of "climate-health interactions," the authors emphasize the need for an "escalated public health focus," particularly on those populations most at-risk.
"Understanding the potential health impacts of climate change in low-income countries will be essential to developing mitigation and adaptive strategies designed to protect these vulnerable populations expected to be impacted the hardest but least able to adapt."
_____________________