ABSTRACT
Increases in global temperatures and predicted increases in extreme rainfall and tornadic and hurricane activity, as well as prolonged drought and forest fires, can have adverse impacts on human health. The first section of the chapter provides an overview of several categories of health impacts (e.g., heat stress, respiratory illness, injury, food and waterborne diseases, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, and mental health sequelae) from weather changes. Also covered in this chapter are multiple examples of the use of geospatial technologies for analysis of health events and risk factors, crisis mapping, and modeling of temporal and spatial patterns of health hazards and risks at various scales: nations and large regions, cities and neighborhoods. The chapter includes a case study section that features California’s heat waves and heat-related illnesses and the relationship to socially vulnerable persons. This is followed by discussions of data availability, access, and data integration issues, with a final section on mitigation and public health adaptation strategies that can be used to minimize adverse impacts.
