Climate CHIP Publications

Climate change, workplace heat exposure and occupational health in Central America.

Authors: 
Kjellstrom T, Crowe J.
Year: 
2011

Climate change is increasing heat exposure in places such as Central America, a tropical region with generally hot/humid conditions. Working people are at particular risk of heat stress because of the intrabody heat production caused by physical labor. This article aims to describe the risks of occupational heat exposure on health and productivity in Central America, and to make tentative estimates of the impact of ongoing climate change on these risks.

Urban Health Inequities and the added pressure of Climate Change: An Action-Oriented Research Agenda

Authors: 
Friel S, Hancock T, Kjellstrom T, McGranahan G, Monge P, Roy Y
Year: 
2011

Climate change will likely exacerbate already existing urban social inequities and health risks, thereby exacerbating existing urban health inequities. Cities in low- and middle-income countries are particularly vulnerable. Urbanization is both a cause of and potential solution to global climate change. Most population growth in the foreseeable future will occur in urban areas primarily in developing countries.

Regional maps of occupational heat exposure: past, present and potential future

Authors: 
Hyatt O, Lemke B, Kjellstrom T.
Year: 
2010

Background: An important feature of climate change is increasing human heat exposure in workplaces without cooling systems in tropical and subtropical countries. Detailed gridded heat exposure maps will provide essential information for public health authorities. Objectives: To develop and test methods for calculating occupational heat exposures and present results in easily interpreted maps.

Heat impact on school children in Cameroon, Africa: potential health threat from climate change

Authors: 
Dapi LN, Rocklov J, Nguefack-Tsague G, Tetanye E, Kjellstrom T.
Year: 
2010

Background: Health impacts related to climate change are potentially an increasing problem in Cameroon, especially during hot seasons when there are no means for protective and adaptive actions. Objective: To describe environmental conditions in schools and to evaluate the impact of heat on schoolchildren's health during school days in the Cameroon cities of Yaoundé and Douala. Methods: Schoolchildren (N=285) aged 12–16 years from public secondary schools completed a questionnaire about their background, general symptoms, and hot feelings in a cross-sectional study.

Climate change impacts on working people: how to develop prevention policies

Authors: 
Nilsson M, Kjellstrom T.
Year: 
2010

The evidence on negative consequences from climate change on human health and well-being is growing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) described climate change as a threat to the climate system that sets the basis for life and human health conditions. The changing climate is expected to affect basic requirements needed to support and sustain human health such as good food, clean water, and unpolluted air, with negative effects that are expected to be unequally distributed.