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Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance Virginia s Response National Public Health Week April 9, 2008

Governor's Commission on Climate Change

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Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance Virginia s Response National Public Health Week April 9, 2008

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    1. Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance Virginia’s Response National Public Health Week April 9, 2008 Michele M. Monti Division of Environmental Epidemiology Virginia Department of Health

    3. Approaches to Climate Change Mitigation - efforts to slow, stabilize or reverse climate change by reducing greenhouse gases Adaptation – efforts to anticipate and prepare for the effects of climate change and to reduce associated health burden

    4. Climate Change Impacts on Human Health Human health impacts – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), U.S. Climate Change Science Program Identifying programs in place to address climate change impacts and identifying gaps or future needs Identify climate change approaches being pursued by other states, regions and the federal government

    5. Climate Change Impacts on Human Health Severe weather events, floods, heat waves injuries, illnesses, deaths Changes in vector-borne illness, zoonotic diseases and exposures to toxic substances Waterborne and airborne diseases and/or allergic or respiratory illnesses or conditions; threats to food and water supplies Harmful algal blooms (HABs) Mass migration/evacuation

    6. Addressing Climate Change Public Health Preparedness Occurs in the face of scientific uncertainty influenza pandemic terrorist attack hurricane Risk Management Systematic ongoing efforts to identify and reduce risks to health

    7. Public Health Preparedness VDH Emergency Preparedness and Response Program (EP&R) Preparedness and response to all emergencies Availability to respond 24/7 Involve all VDH programs Rapid response to outbreaks Build public health infrastructure Increase/enhance local capacity - planners and epidemiologists in all 35 health districts Establish regional response teams

    8. Public Health Preparedness VDH Emergency Preparedness and Response Program (EP&R) Upgrade information and communications technologies and systems HAN – Health Alert Network Electronic reporting and syndromic surveillance NEDSS (National Electronic Disease Surveillance System) ESSENCE (Electronic Surveillance System for Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics)

    9. Public Health Preparedness VDH Emergency Preparedness and Response Program (EP&R) Potential to address: Extreme weather events, heat waves/stress Surge at hospitals Disease outbreaks – local planners, epidemiologists Large-scale communication efforts through HAN Emergency communications to vulnerable populations Training

    10. Risk Management Office of Epidemiology Disease Surveillance & Investigation Determine disease burdens, trends document changes in vector-borne and foodborne illnesses Recognize & investigate outbreaks of illness Identify affected people or regions Implement interventions – e.g., heat advisories, food recalls

    11. Risk Management Office of Epidemiology Environmental Epidemiology Conduct enhanced passive surveillance for vector-borne illnesses Investigate outbreaks of zoonotic diseases Control & prevention of waterborne illnesses Identify changes in harmful algal blooms frequency, toxicity, geography surveillance for illnesses related to HAB exposure

    12. Risk Management Office of Drinking Water Document changes and address issues related to water supply quantity quality Serve on Drought Task Force Provide technical assistance during disasters

    13. Risk Management Office of Environmental Health Services Shellfish Sanitation Prevention of illness from shellfish diseases – routine monitoring Sampling for HAB identification Document changes in salinity, pH, and sea level rise

    14. Risk Management Office of Environmental Health Services Food and Environmental Services Increases in foodborne diseases from compromised food supply, flooding, storm water contamination

    15. Risk Management Office of Environmental Health Services Onsite Sewage and Water Services Private wells inundation from flood waters loss of service from drought salt water intrusion from rising sea levels Septic systems loss of use from rising sea levels

    16. Risk Management Office of Family Health Services Injury Prevention Prevention of injury and death from extreme weather events Communication and public outreach Cancer Registry Document increases in skin cancer

    17. Risk Management Office of Vital Records Track changes in causes of death Identify affected people or regions Office of Information Management Data warehouse Hospital discharge records, multiple diagnoses, injuries, chronic diseases

    18. Risk Management Office of Minority Health & Public Policy Identify vulnerable populations Address and reduce health inequities in Virginia

    19. Risk Management Community Health Services 35 health districts – headed by physician director 119 local health departments On-the-ground health services, outreach, interventions, outbreak investigations, beach monitoring, shoreline sanitation surveys, well & onsite sewage inspections District epidemiologists and local planners (EP&R)

    20. Risk Management Community Health Services Assist in the prevention of heat-related illness and deaths Implement interventions for heat-related illness Communicate heat emergencies Provide “cooling centers” Inform the public on what to do to protect themselves Serve as a credible source of information on health consequences

    21. Climate Change and Human Health Gaps/Needs Communication and collaboration w/in VDH, Health and Human Resources Public information and outreach

    22. Climate Change and Human Health Gaps/Needs Bring climate change focus to ongoing efforts to identify and reduce risks to health Climate change related infectious diseases through existing surveillance systems Document increases in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases that may be due to increasing temperatures and/or air pollution

    23. Climate Change and Human Health Gaps/Needs Health Models and Scenarios Further our understanding of potential impacts on a state and regional level Assist in the evaluation of effectiveness of adaptation and mitigation efforts Expand partnerships

    24. Climate Change and Human Health Gaps/Needs Economic analysis Better understanding of costs of health impacts

    25. Climate Change and Human Health Contact information: Michele Monti Division of Environmental Epidemiology Virginia Department of Health michele.monti@vdh.virginia.gov (804) 864-8111

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