Educating Providers on the Impact of Climate Change

Climate change is taking a toll not just on the environment, but also in the clinic, with a rise in asthma, cardiovascular disease, insect-borne viruses, and heat-related death. That was the urgent message of the inaugural Clinical Climate Change conference, hosted by Mount Sinai’s Institute for Exposomic Research. Panelists at the event, held on Saturday, January 12, at the New York Academy of Medicine, included environmental advocates and leaders in the study of environmental medicine and public health.

The conference aimed to provide public health professionals, policymakers, physicians, nurses, medical students, and allied health professionals with a base of up-to-date evidence to inform patient treatment and care as the global average temperature continues its steady rise. “Air pollution is a major driver of the health consequences of climate change,” said Robert O. Wright, MD, MPH, Professor and Ethel H. Wise Chair of the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Director of the Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “In addition to conditions you would expect to increase, such as asthma and other lung diseases, our research shows that there are many downstream effects.” For example, Dr. Wright and several other panelists focused on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from air pollution, which causes inflammation in the body that is associated with neurotoxicity, neurodevelopmental disorders, and increased insulin resistance.

Heat-related conditions are of particular concern for outdoor workers. Thousands become sick every year, and many die, due to these preventable illnesses, said Roberto Lucchini, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine. “Studies show that recurrent heat exposure, with physical exertion, inadequate hydration, and exposure to chemicals, can lead to chronic kidney disease,” he said. “There is an epidemic of this disease among worker populations in Central America. We have to prepare health care workers in northern areas to be aware of the condition.”

In addition to these critical warnings, speakers presented actionable tools for clinicians both to better inform patients and to modify their practice. “Physicians can explain the importance of paying attention to heat and poor air-quality days,” said Emily Senay, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine. “This is especially important for vulnerable patients who are elderly or chronically ill.” During a heat wave, clinicians might consider adjusting some medications, like diuretics, which reduce the ability to lose heat by sweating. And they should advise patients to close windows and use air conditioning to limit exposure to air pollution but also to be conscious of indoor pollutants like mold and fumes from cleaning products.

Physicians were encouraged to prepare for an influx of diseases previously unseen in their population, particularly those carried by insects. A warming climate will make habitats more hospitable to disease-carrying insects, such as mosquitoes and ticks, exposing a larger swath of the population to diseases such as Lyme disease, Zika virus, and dengue fever.

Another concern is that weather events, such as hurricanes and floods, are becoming more extreme as a result of climate change. Superstorms of recent years, like Hurricane Sandy, are leading to a shift from an “emergency response” model to a more forward-looking “risk mitigation” approach, said George Loo, DrPH, MPH, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine. That includes moving critical infrastructure out of flood prone areas and developing extensive logistics for managing transportation, power, security, and staffing. In addition, Dr. Loo said, “Health care workers need to first have a plan to take care of themselves and their families. Knowing that your family is safe and that you have a way to contact them will reduce stress and help you focus on your patients.”

Physicians play an important role in helping patients understand how climate affects the health of individuals and how, at a population level, humans affect the environment, Dr. Senay said. With a nuanced approach, she added, providers can improve environmental literacy and open the door to discussions about how walking more, eating a plant-based diet, and advocating for renewable energy can make both the planet and patients healthier.