Associations between alteration in plant phenology and hay fever prevalence among US adults: Implication for changing climate

Abatzoglou

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

et al. 2021

Self Cite

180

Airborne pollen has major respiratory health impacts and anthropogenic climate change may increase pollen concentrations and extend pollen seasons. While greenhouse and field studies indicate that pollen concentrations are correlated with temperature, a formal detection and attribution of the role of anthropogenic climate change in continental pollen seasons is urgently needed. Here, we use long-term pollen data from 60 North American stations from 1990 to 2018, spanning 821 site-years of data, and Earth system model simulations to quantify the role of human-caused climate change in continental patterns in pollen concentrations. We find widespread advances and lengthening of pollen seasons (+20 d) and increases in pollen concentrations (+21%) across North America, which are strongly coupled to observed warming. Human forcing of the climate system contributed ∼50% (interquartile range: 19–84%) of the trend in pollen seasons and ∼8% (4–14%) of the trend in pollen concentrations. Our results reveal that anthropogenic climate change has already exacerbated pollen seasons in the past three decades with attendant deleterious effects on respiratory health.

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic climate change is worsening North American pollen seasons

Abatzoglou

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

et al. 2021

Self Cite

180

Allergy Asthma Immunol Res

“…Sapkota et al . 58 did a US county assessment and showed that counties that experienced earlier spring onsets had a 14% increase in hay fever, indicating climate effects on changing plant phenology and the prevalence of AR. Overall, these studies are consistent with climate and/or CO 2 induced changes in aeroallergen production.…”

Section: Clinical Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Overview of Rising CO₂and Climatic Change on Aeroallergens and Allergic Diseases

Ziska

2020

There are a number of implications of climate change in regard to human health. Among these, the role of rising carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and temperature in aeroallergen exposure and associated changes in the start, duration and intensity of the pollen season, and associated consequences in aeroallergens and allergic disease are a primary concern. This review is intended to provide a synopsis of CO 2 and climate factors associated with likely changes in aeroallergen biology (indoor and outdoor), including changes in the demography of flowering plants, pollen seasonality, aeroallergen production, and potential biotic and abiotic interactions. These factors, in turn, are compared to clinical trials that have linked aeroallergens to allergic disease and associated health impacts. Finally, suggestions to address unmet needs and critical knowledge gaps are offered. Such recommendations are not meant to be inclusive, but to serve as a spur for the additional research and resources that will be necessary to acquire a better understanding of climate change, CO 2 , aeroallergens and associated allergic diseases. Such resources will be critical to derive time-relevant scientific and policy solutions that will minimize public health consequences in a changing climate.

“…Allergenic pollen levels are affected by climate, because warmer weather, higher humidity, and heightened levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can stimulate the growth of certain plant species and can extend pollen production season (Neumann et al, 2018;Reid & Gamble, 2009;Sapkota et al, 2019;L. Ziska et al, 2011;L.…”

Section: Allergenic Oak Pollen In North Carolinamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Allergenic pollen levels are affected by climate, because warmer weather, higher humidity, and heightened levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can stimulate the growth of certain plant species and can extend pollen production season (Neumann et al, ; Reid & Gamble, ; Sapkota et al, ; L. Ziska et al, ; L. H. Ziska et al, ). Higher pollen levels from specific trees, grasses, and weeds are associated with asthma exacerbations (Sun et al, ).…”

Section: Data Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the Health‐Related Costs of 10 Climate‐Sensitive U.S. Events During 2012

et al. 2019

Climate change threatens human health, but there remains a lack of evidence on the economic toll of climate‐sensitive public health impacts. We characterize human mortality and morbidity costs associated with 10 climate‐sensitive case study events spanning 11 US states in 2012: wildfires in Colorado and Washington, ozone air pollution in Nevada, extreme heat in Wisconsin, infectious disease outbreaks of tick‐borne Lyme disease in Michigan and mosquito‐borne West Nile virus in Texas, extreme weather in Ohio, impacts of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York, allergenic oak pollen in North Carolina, and harmful algal blooms on the Florida coast. Applying a consistent economic valuation approach to published studies and state estimates, we estimate total health‐related costs from 917 deaths, 20,568 hospitalizations, and 17,857 emergency department visits of $10.0 billion in 2018 dollars, with a sensitivity range of $2.7–24.6 billion. Our estimates indicate that the financial burden of deaths, hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and associated medical care is a key dimension of the overall economic impact of climate‐sensitive events. We found that mortality costs (i.e., the value of a statistical life) of $8.4 billion exceeded morbidity costs and lost wages ($1.6 billion combined). By better characterizing health damages in economic terms, this work helps to shed light on the burden climate‐sensitive events already place on U.S. public health each year. In doing so, we provide a conceptual framework for broader estimation of climate‐sensitive health‐related costs. The high health‐related costs associated with climate‐sensitive events highlight the importance of actions to mitigate climate change and adapt to its unavoidable impacts.