Climate Change

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution is associated with excess morbidity and mortality and estimated to be the most important environmental risk factor for mortality globally. Ultrafine particles (UFPs) and PM2.5 from wildfire smoke (WFS), are both thought to be more toxic than ambient PM2.5.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of disaster events globally, resulting in heightened risks to human life, economic security, ecosystem health, and overall well-being. Hazard Mitigation Planning, overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is one tool used to reduce disaster risk by identifying potential hazards and taking action to reduce their impact.

Purpose of the Study:

My MPH practicum experience was with InterIm Community Development Association’s Danny Woo Community Garden to launch the Restaurant 2 Garden project.

In October of 2020, Seattle City Council raised a Council Budget Action (CBA), proposing the allocation of $100,000 General Fund dollars to Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) to develop and implement a publicly accessible sink program.

Human and wildlife communities depend on healthy marine environments to provide myriad resources and support. Harmful algal blooms (HABs), phenomena in which algae rapidly produce large amounts of biomass and often toxins, are becoming more frequent, widespread, and severe.

Background: The United States is experiencing increasing temperatures and heatwaves due to anthropogenic climate change. Days of extreme heat lead to higher rates of morbidity and mortality and place greater demand on healthcare systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic was declared an international public health emergency on 30 January 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). To slow the spread of the virus, governments across the United States implemented physical distancing interventions in the form of stay-at-home orders.

Pacific Northwest wildfire smoke events have been increasing in prevalence and severity over the past three decades, resulting in documented negative health outcomes in adults. However, when examining the effect of wildfire smoke on pediatric health, the literature is scarce.

Background: Particulate matter (PM)-related health effects have been studied extensively, yet wildfire smoke-specific PM health effects and its dose-response relationship have not reached a consensus due to variations in exposure scenarios and health outcome measurements.

Despite the Washington State Environmental Health Disparities Map and the Duwamish Valley Cumulative Health Impacts Analysis assessments being resources for communities to access environmental threats and social vulnerabilities, there is no single map that includes all factors associated with potential chemical mobilization and flood risks.

Background: Power plants are primary emitters of greenhouse gases and criteria air pollutants, which are associated with harmful health impacts including increased risk of premature mortality.

Background: Dengue fever (DF) is the most common mosquito-borne viral disease, with an estimated 390 million infections a year, globally. In 1994, Saudi Arabia reported their first confirmed case of DF in the western coastal city of Jeddah.

Climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity, and duration of wildfires. To reduce personal exposure to wildfire smoke and resulting adverse health effects, N95 respirators are increasingly used by the general public to filter out fine particles (PM2.5) present in smoke.

In this paper, we describe the way in which socioeconomic factors (i.e. language, socioeconomic status, and education), climate change, and the migration patterns of US farmworker populations affect health care utilization across the nation, specifically in Washington State.

Introduction

Background: Worldwide, dengue fever is the most common arboviral disease in humans with an estimated 50–100 million dengue infections annually.

Risk communication is an essential element to promoting disaster preparedness and building community resilience to disasters, which pose a serious and growing threat to public health and well-being due to climate change.