Climate Change and Public Health

Orchestrating and coordinating contributions from more than 75 selected public health specialists and environmental scientists, the editors have developed a concise and comprehensive book that represents a core curriculum on climate change and public health, including key strategies for adaptation and mitigation.

Barry S. Levy, M.D., M.P.H. is an Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Tufts University School of Medicine and a consultant in environmental and occupational health. He has had a wide range of experiences in public health practice, education, research, policy development, and consultation. He has served as a medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control, a Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, a leader of several international health programs and projects, and president of the American Public Health Association. He has co-edited 17 multi-contributor books, nine of which have focused on environmental and occupational health.
Jonathan A. Patz, M.D., M.P.H. is a Professor and Director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin. He is one of the most recognized, longstanding experts on the health implications of global climate change. He has authored over 80 scientifically peer-reviewed papers on the subject. Dr. Patz served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for 14 years as a lead author on health-related chapters. He served as co-chair for the Health Expert Panel of the first U.S. National Assessment on Climate Change. He has taught and conducted research on climate change and its relationship to health for nearly two decades.

- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Contributors
- Part I: Introduction
- 1. Applying a Public Health Context to Climate Change
- 2. Applying Climate Change Science for Public Health
- 3. A Widening Research Agenda: Challenges and Needs
- Part II: Adverse Health Consequences and Specific Preventive Measures
- 4A. Heat Impacts on Work, Human Performance, and Daily Life
- 4B. Disorders Related to Heat Waves
- 5. Respiratory and Allergic Disorders
- 6. Vectorborne Diseases
- 7. Waterborne and Foodborne Diseases
- 8. Health Impacts Related to Food and Nutrition Insecurity
- 9. Mental Health Impacts
- 10. Collective Violence
- Part III: Policies and Actions to Address Climate Change and to Promote Public Health
- 11. Public Health Policies and Actions
- 12. Communication
- 13A. Energy Policy in Developed Countries
- 13B. Energy Policy in Developing Countries
- 13C. Transportation Policy
- 13D. Agriculture Policy
- 14. Planning Healthy and Sustainable Built Environments
- 15. Non-governmental Actions by Individuals, Civil Society Organizations, and the Private Sector