Impacts of Climate Change on Health: A Current Assessment

Abstract

Climate change refers to an accelerated change in climate that is directly or indirectly attributed to human activities, altering the composition of the global atmosphere and occurring in addition to the natural climate variability observed over comparable periods. This change is one of the most critical global challenges of the 21st century, creating impacts in many environmental, social and economic dimensions. Its impacts on human health seem to be much more significant and devastating. However, despite this, studies on its direct and indirect impacts on human health are relatively few. In this review, In the scientific literature, emphasis has been placed on publications examining the different health effects that climate change may cause on human health. The data obtained within this scope was searched on databases between June and July 2024 and was eliminated and synthesized according to the current literature. Through electronic databases, local and foreign theses, reports of national and international studies, articles, and gray literature were evaluated. The subject was examined under 6 main headings: ‘the effects of extreme hot and cold weather events on health’, ‘the effects of ultraviolet radiation’, ‘the effects of changes in air quality’, ‘the effects of food and water-related health problems’, ‘health problems associated with vectors’ and ‘mental problems’. To better understand the effects on health and to evaluate them as a whole, 45 of the literature reached as a result of the systematic literature review was included in the review prepared within the scope of the study.