What are the Effects of Climate-Related Risks on Public Health? A summary of National Climate Assessment information from the U.S. Global Change Research Program about the public health risks associated with climate change. OVERVIEW FROM GAO-16-122 --- Human Health Risks Posed by Climate Change – Examples from the Third National Climate Assessment [IMAGE: Silhouette of a person with an image of the planet Earth in the background. Six boxes, each with an example within, surround Earth.] [Clockwise from top] [IMAGE: Human brain] Mental health and stress-related disorders. An increase in the frequency of extreme weather events may result in a greater number of people experiencing mental health issues. [IMAGE: Silhouette of an anatomical stomach] Food-borne and water-borne illness. Rising temperatures may increase the growth of certain pathogens in food and water, such as salmonella. [IMAGE: Silhouette of a tick] Tick-borne and other diseases. The habitats of certain disease carriers--such as ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas--may expand, bringing with them diseases such as Lyme disease and dengue. [IMAGE: Medical cross] Injuries. Extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent and severe, increasing the potential for injury due to falls and drowning. [IMAGE: Silhouette of anatomical lungs] Respiratory impacts. Increased allergies and more frequent and severe asthma attacks may occur as a result of longer pollen seasons and increased temperatures. [IMAGE: The sun] Heat-related illness. Heat waves are expected to become more frequent and severe, which may result in heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, or death. Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program's third National Climate Assessment --- The Third National Climate Assessment Reports that Health Impacts from Climate Change are Expected to Vary Across Populations and Regions Climate change is expected to exacerbate existing health disparities, especially for groups such as the elderly, children, those that are sick, and those that are living in poverty. [IMAGE: Crowd of various, silhouetted people ranging from infants to the elderly] The map below displays examples of potential health impacts in the U.S. as identified in the third National Climate Assessment. [IMAGE: Map of the United States of America. Nine boxes, each with an example within, overlay the map.] [From left to right, top to bottom] [Over the northwest portion of the map] [IMAGE: Silhouette of anatomical lungs] Respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses could be worsened by smoke and particulate pollution from increased wildfires. [Over the midwest portion of the map] [IMAGE: Medical cross] Drownings and injuries may result from floods, which could become more common as the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events increases. [Over northeast portion of the map] [IMAGE: Silhouette of a mosquito] West Nile virus may pose greater threats as suitable habitats for disease-carrying mosquitoes increase. [Over southwest portion of the map] [IMAGE: The sun] The incidence of heat stress and other illnesses aggravated by extreme heat, such as heart disease, could increase as temperatures rise. [Over the Great Plains] [IMAGE: Silhouette of anatomical lungs] Allergies may become more common and severe as pollen seasons grow longer due to more frost-free days. [Over the mideast portion of the map] [IMAGE: The sun] Heat-related illnesses may occur at higher rates in cities, where the abundance of concrete and relative lack of vegetation can cause temperatures to rise higher than in surrounding areas. [Over Alaska] [IMAGE: Silhouette of an anatomical stomach] Water-borne illnesses may result from disruptions to community water supplies and sewage systems as permafrost--frozen ground that can support infrastructure--continues to thaw. [Over Hawaii] [IMAGE: Silhouette of a mosquito] The incidence of dengue could increase under projected climatic conditions which include rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns. [Over southeast portion of the map] [IMAGE: Silhouette of an anatomical stomach] The incidence of ciguatera fish poisoning, a food-borne illness, could increase as algae that cause the illness move northward with rising sea surface temperatures. Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program's third National Climate Assessment --- GAO Examined Some Related Activities of the Federal Government [IMAGE: Microscope] Enhancing research on the risks of climate change to public health [IMAGE: Laptop] Raising public awareness of climate change as a public health issue [IMAGE: Dollar sign] Supporting the efforts of state and local health authorities --- LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION? Visit GAO.GOV/GAO-16-122 --- [IMAGE: GAO logo] --- This work has been released into the public domain.