Vulnerable Populations Perceive Their Health as at Risk from Climate Change

Abstract

Climate change is already taking a toll on human health, a toll that is likely to increase in coming decades. The relationship between risk perceptions and vulnerability to climate change’s health threats has received little attention, even though an understanding of the dynamics of adaptation among particularly susceptible populations is becoming increasingly important. We demonstrate that some people whose health will suffer the greatest harms from climate change—due to social vulnerability, health susceptibility, and exposure to hazards—already feel they are at risk. In a 2013 survey we measured Maryland residents’ climate beliefs, health risk perceptions, and household social vulnerability characteristics, including medical conditions (n = 2126). We paired survey responses with secondary data sources for residence in a floodplain and/or urban heat island to predict perceptions of personal and household climate health risk. General health risk perceptions, political ideology, and climate beliefs are the strongest predictors. Yet, people in households with the following characteristics also see themselves at higher risk: members with one or more medical conditions or disabilities; low income; racial/ethnic minorities; and residence in a floodplain. In light of these results, climate health communication among vulnerable populations should emphasize protective actions instead of risk messages.

Awareness, Risk Perception, and Protective Behaviors for Extreme Heat and Climate Change in New York City

“…While some research has indicated that low-income individuals are disengaged from the problem of climate change [30], our results suggest that having a lower household income significantly predicts one's perception of climate change as a health threat, reflecting an accurate perception of having fewer resources to adapt. These results echo findings in Maryland residents, where vulnerable populations (including those in low-income households) perceived their own climate change health vulnerability to be greater than the public at large [31]. Discrepancies between national and local surveys highlight the regional variation in climate change risk perception, which may be due to personal experience with extreme weather [17] among other factors, and underscores the importance of continued local research and preparedness efforts.…”

How Americans Respond to Information About Global Warming's Health Impacts: Evidence From a National Survey Experiment

“…Epidemiologic research has shown that certain populations are more vulnerable to the negative effects of global warming, including people with preexisting medical conditions (U.S. Global Change Research Program, ), and that these vulnerable groups are more likely to feel like they are already at risk from global warming (Akerlof et al, ). Additionally, attitudes toward global warming are highly polarized in terms of political ideology, with liberals being more concerned and supportive of action to address global warming relative to conservatives (Dunlap et al, ; McCright & Dunlap, ).…”

Environment resilience and public health: Assessing healthcare's vulnerability to climate change in the San Francisco Bay Area

“…In fact, insurance coverage increases survival chances in the event of an extreme climate event (Lang et al, 2016), while a lack of insurance exacerbates the declining availability of medical services for low‐income households. This situation is a serious problem for most low‐income households or near‐low‐income households in the U.S. (Akerlof, Delamater, Boules, Upperman, & Mitchell, 2015). Economic disparity makes vulnerable populations, especially the socially disadvantaged, more susceptible to public health problems during climate change (Brown, Spickett, & Katscherian, 2014; Pelkowski & Berger, 2003).…”