Assignment 2: Global Climate Change and Health
Write a 3- pages paper that addresses the following:
Describe two health care concerns related to global climate change.
Topics could include increased exposure to vectors that transmit Zika, West Nile virus, or malaria; respiratory problems; food distribution problems due to drought or lack of water; or heat-related illness.
Compare concerns in the United States related to these topics with one developed and one developing country.
Describe health promotion/health protection strategies a nurse could implement.
Support your ideas with references from the professional nursing literature.
Required Content
1. Present two concerns regarding global climate change in the United States. Included information about why this concern is important to the US and, if left unchecked, what the result will be. Described what the US is doing to combat these problems, if anything. “Provide a fully developed presentation on global climate change in the United states including • Two concerns regarding global climate change • Why concern is important and what the result will be • Described what is being done to combat these problems with insightful analysis of concepts and related issues.”
2. Present two concerns regarding global climate change in another selected developed country. Included information about why this concern is important to them and, if left unchecked, what the result will be. Described interventions about what this country is doing to combat these problems, if anything. “Provide a fully developed presentation on global climate change in another developed country including • Two concerns regarding global climate change • Why concern is important and what the result will be • Described what is being done to combat these problems with insightful analysis of concepts and related issues.”
3. Present two concerns regarding global climate change in a selected undeveloped country. Included information about why this concern is important to them and, if left unchecked, what the result will be. Described interventions about what this country is doing to combat these problems, if anything. “Provide a fully developed presentation on global climate change in selected undeveloped country • Two concerns regarding global climate change • Why concern is important and what the result will be • Described what is being done to combat these problems with insightful analysis of concepts and related issues.”
4. Describe 2–3 health promotion strategies public health nurses might implement to help mitigate concerns of global climate change? “Provide a fully developed description of 2-3 health promotion stragies public health nurses might implement to help mitigate concerns of global climate change with insightful analysis of concepts and related issues.”
5. Demonstrates fully developed sentence, paragraph, and essay level skills. Displays academic expression through fully developed use of evidence from multiple sources to support content. Meets the 4000 AWE level with no writing issues and exceeds the minimum reference requirement.
6. Demonstrates fully developed APA formatting and referencing requirements with no formatting errors.
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Global Climate Change and Health
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A study by the United States government shows that over the past years, human activities have been contributing to climate change not only in the US but also in other countries. Two main concerns as a result of global climate change in the United States are drought and increased raised in water sea level (Gergel, Nijssen, Abatzoglou, Lettenmaier & Stumbaugh, 2017). The two main regions in the United States experiencing drought are the Midwest and Southern parts. Climate experts in the United States indicate that the Western part of the country has been having less rainfall in the past 50 years. Weather specialists indicate that if the climate continues to change, other parts of the country will start experiencing this drought challenge.
One impact that drought is creating in the United States is the reduced production of agricultural products. The reason why agricultural production is reducing is that most extensive farming activities rely on rainfall water (Gergel, Nijssen, Abatzoglou, Lettenmaier & Stumbaugh, 2017). Since climate change has affected the rain patterns, these farmers are experiencing challenges as they seek other alternative sources of water. The other concern of climate change in the United States is the rising sea level in the coastlines. The rising sea level is a result of climate heat up that is melting the glaciers, melting of the sea ice, and diminishing snow cover. The United States government needs to address concerns since they are a major threat to the country. Increased shortage of water can continue affecting agricultural production resulting in famine. The rising seawater level can affect the residents along the coastlines and the water may end up displacing these residents.
Another developed country experiencing challenges of global climate change in Russia. Climate change has occurred mainly in these developed countries due to industrial activities such as the emission of carbon gas and other harmful gaseous materials in the atmosphere. Global climate change has affected Russia’s weather patterns mainly precipitation and the country’s average temperature (Anisimov & Orttung, 2019). The two major concerns as a result of climate change in Russia is increased temperature especially in the northern latitudes and increased health risks as a result of increased temperatures.
Russians weather experts have discovered that the average temperature annually has been rising by over 0.4 degrees Celsius every decade in the Western parts of the country (Anisimov & Orttung, 2019). The increased temperature has resulted in severe changes in the country such as melting of ice cover especially in the northern parts. Glaciers in mountain areas are melting creating changes in the sea drainage basin of the country. In terms of health risks, climate change has resulted to increase in heat intensity from the sun in summer and spring. Direct heat from the sun has heat waves that affect the human skin creating severe disorders in the human body.
Therefore, the national government of Russia has developed strategies to address these two major concerns due to climate change. Failing to address these two climate concerns will result in drought in the future and human health will be at greater risk of diseases such as skin cancer. One of the strategies that the Russian government has taken in addressing these climate concerns is creating awareness among public members concerning how citizens can protect themselves from dangerous heat waves (Anisimov & Orttung, 2019). Another strategy is that the government has enforced regulations on industrial activities that result in the emission of harmful gases contributing to climate change.
Global climate change has not only affected the developed countries but also undeveloped countries that are experiencing the negative impact of climate change. There is a relationship that exists between poverty and climate change since climate change affects low-income communities in developing countries. However, undeveloped countries are not only victims of climate change but also, have contributed to global climate change. Research shows that developing countries have contributed 63 percent of carbon emissions in the atmosphere (Hambira, Saarinen & Moses, 2020). Most of these undeveloped countries are African countries and the most affected country in Botswana.
Over the past years, key climate elements; rainfall, and temperature in Botswana have changed significantly. Change in these key elements has resulted in two main concerns: drought and dangerous heat waves (Hambira, Saarinen & Moses, 2020). Drought has resulted in a shortage of water in the country due to annual low rainfall. Water is an essential resource in such a developing country since water is a driver in various economic activities such as agriculture and industrial production. Also, the shortage of water has affected the health lives of Botswana citizens. The second concern is as a result of dangerous heat waves affecting the human skin directly. These dangerous heat waves are directly coming from the sun due to the presence of carbon and other gases in the atmosphere. These gaseous substances have affected the Ozone layer that is responsible for absorbing direct heat waves from the sun.
The government of Botswana needs to develop strategies on how they can solve drought and dangerous heat waves. Failing to address these two issues will result in cases of food shortage due to drought and human health will be at greater risk due to the direct heat waves. One strategy that the government of Botswana can implement to address the issue of drought is coming up with alternative sources of water that will supply water to citizens continuously. Concerning the issue of direct heat waves, the national government of Botswana can create health awareness of how its citizens can keep themselves healthy from the heat waves.
Public health nurses can implement several health promotional strategies that can act as solutions to the challenges of global climate change. One strategy that public health nurses can play in mitigating global climate change is through mobilization (Lilienfeld, Nicholas, Breakey & Corless, 2018). Nurses are in a good position to mobilize and inform members of society to respond to climate change. Also, nurses can address government officials in advocating for climate change measures. Another strategy nurses can implement in addressing the challenges of global climate change is through research (Lilienfeld, Nicholas, Breakey & Corless, 2018). Nurses can carry out studies by identifying various issues in the environment that can affect the environment negatively.
References
Anisimov, O., & Orttung, R. (2019). Climate change in Northern Russia through the prism of public perception. Ambio, 48(6), 661-671.
Gergel, D. R., Nijssen, B., Abatzoglou, J. T., Lettenmaier, D. P., & Stumbaugh, M. R. (2017). Effects of climate change on snowpack and fire potential in the western USA. Climatic Change, 141(2), 287-299.
Hambira, W. L., Saarinen, J., & Moses, O. (2020). Climate change policy in a world of uncertainty: changing environment, knowledge, and tourism in Botswana. African Geographical Review, 39(3), 252-266.
Lilienfeld, E., Nicholas, P. K., Breakey, S., & Corless, I. B. (2018). Addressing climate change through a nursing lens within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Nursing Outlook, 66(5), 482-494.
