Climate Change and Aging: Implications for Psychiatric Care

Current Psychiatry Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 26(10), P. 499 - 513

Published: Aug. 30, 2024

We reviewed recent evidence regarding the impact of climate change (specifically, high ambient temperatures, heatwaves, weather-related disasters, and air pollution) on older adults' mental health. also summarized other medical problems that can occur in aging adults connection with change, resulting psychiatric manifestations or influencing psychopharmacological management.

Language: Английский

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Extreme Heat and Cardiovascular Mortality Among Structurally Marginalized Populations in the United States: A Scoping Review

The Journal of Climate Change and Health, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100343 - 100343

Published: Sept. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Exploring the health impacts of climate change: Challenges and considerations for health services research

Health Services Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 60(1)

Published: Nov. 13, 2024

The United Nations has declared a state of climate emergency regarding the unmitigated effects global change, in large part due to its impacts on human safety and well-being.1 While scientists have worked develop deeper understanding influence warming environment, exploration health dimensions are ongoing. One particular area growing investigation is that change's services outcomes. Indeed, issue been deemed critical enough such Agency for Healthcare Research Quality (AHRQ) convened roundtable discussion with Department Health Human Services (HHS) 2023 subject measuring resiliency healthcare delivery organizations.2 Underlying relationship between environment series methodological questions about how best assessments these relationships exploring National Institutes also working stakeholders scientific community create strategic framework upon which evaluate outcomes combined an institute-wide initiative into this field. goal endeavor appears be reducing threats from change by examining drivers lead populations being exposed new environmental factors while identifying conditions, addressing socioeconomic context within problems occur.3 researchers are, will continue be, playing major role efforts. In commentary, we highlight three different manifestations warming: extreme precipitation events, wildfires, heat waves, as illustrative examples challenges they can pose researchers. For each phenomena, briefly review what known their links health, then provide some methodologic considerations systems not comprehensive myriad ways our changing impacting well-being, hope provides points contemplation among investigators policymakers Perhaps most visible manifestation States chief them worsened hurricane storm seasons. Rising temperatures elevating surface ocean temperatures, resulting more intense events: storms presented higher total rainfall, powerful winds, severe surges.4 addition stronger sea-based storms, affecting inland through fluctuant leading dangerous anomalous phenomena off-season tornadoes, polar vortexes, precipitation-associated flash flooding.5 These natural disasters significant variety ways. Traumatic injuries deaths frequently follow physical devastation, recently tragically demonstrated death toll Hurricane Helene eastern States, over 220 mortalities rising at time writing.6 Yet exposure weather events found associated lingering long-term level.7 example, studies conducted New Orleans shown hospital admissions heart attacks Tulane Medical Center increased threefold decade following Katrina.8 were accompanied rise key risk cardiovascular disease high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, tobacco smoking.8 addition, mental crises sustained emotional trauma, stress, difficulty accessing resources, host other complications lasting medical during disasters.9 Regrettably, catastrophes limited warm months. Winter blizzards colder snaps cause emergencies, lower large-scale temperature swings correlated attack stroke rates.10-13 potential massive across (there currently than 126 million people North America living regions hurricane), discrete easy define, resultant harms challenging.14 Such destructive infrastructure, forcing patients divert centers or forgo scheduled appointments. Regional registries hospital-based records may thus interrupted missing utilization data (particularly if power outages evacuations limit primary collection). Additionally, regional national medication supply shortages ripple effects, quality care even distant centers. Finally, noted previously, it becoming increasingly obvious sequelae persist years, unknown compound multiple Patients often necessary disasters, attributing elevations adverse event challenging, involves disentangling true exposure-related delayed usual presentations, delaying needed care, so-called "harvesting effect." last refers epidemiologic phenomenon where anticipated chronically ill individuals displaced forward implying acute mortality burden represents acceleration expected fatalities rather those directly attributable disaster.15 Changes maladaptive behavior wake traumatic notoriously difficult measure vulnerable populations, particularly when there subsequent migration away site loss housing employment. compositional could introduce bias community-level estimates outcomes, necessitating careful adjustment. Lastly, wish emphasize equivalent concept seasonal high-risk hurricanes predate anthropogenic warming. Rather, exacerbated man-made greenhouse gas emissions, such, ascribing fraction attributed broader ongoing field debate investigation.16 wildland fires become face much Western America, increase frequency severity tied changes patterns.17 Recent US Environmental Protection reports demonstrate annual extent land burned wildfires since 1980s, 10 years (by acreage burned) occurring 2004.18 harm close proximity destroy local main threat smoke plumes contain extraordinary collection hazardous air pollutants. particulate matter, ground level ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, airborne pollutants.19 Wildfire component toxins carried thousands miles, communities far original fire.20 Exposure pollutants linked including short-term respiratory pulmonary exacerbations asthma reactive airway disease.21, 22 Short-term measured sources registers, crisis line utilizations, admission billing records, department visits, measures.23-25 Long-term harder quantify, but associations poor birth negative psychological likely far-reaching implications.23, 26-28 Despite rapidly body investigation, measurement consequences difficult, definition. defined wildfire number ways, Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's venerable hazard mapping system (consisting satellite imaging plumes), ground-level regulatory pollution monitors, nonregulatory investigative models varying complexity.29, 30 Fire behave erratically highly dependent atmospheric conditions (e.g., temperature; humidity; presence, speed, direction wind).31 Thus, near experience days wind blowing location (conversely, downwind heavily impacted further afield epicenter disaster). fact, recent study group identified 150 km fire suffer greater risks exposure.32 Concurrently, patterns quickly shift affected areas daily hourly bases, making individual exposures ascertain remote monitoring techniques. Ground-level monitors PurpleAir helpful estimating residential exposures, cannot disambiguate background pollution. importance factor becomes magnified because contains components residential/occupational pollution, combustion homes industrial buildings chemical compounds heavy metals plumes.33 analyses model pollutant fractions matter underestimate toxicity smoke. concerns motivated dimensional machine-learning based exposure, hopefully expand include paint complete picture hazard.34 dimension research personal mitigation strategies. It recognized wildfire-prone aware posed smoke, alter response.35 actions beneficial activities avoidance outdoor activities, installing HEPA filters, using N95 masks spending smoky areas, conditioning (or conversely risky behaviors misconceptions benefits opening windows).36, 37 sensing again incorrectly predict individual-level highest potentially perceived populations. This complicated center shutdowns, additional error investigations. Most topically, dramatic revolution began burning fossil fuels, manifesting around globe events. previous constitutes warmest first collected late nineteenth century.38 Concerningly, waves both severity, 125 2000 2016 alone.39 well documented, engaging body's thermoregulatory systems, prolonged strain heat-related crises, exhaustion stroke. More insidiously, stress autoregulatory mechanisms circulatory large, inducing collapse.40, 41 aggregate seasons register sizable mortality, catastrophic well. A 2024 Hajj Saudi Arabia alone thought resulted 1300 deaths.42 Elderly injury, blunted response mechanisms, rates prevalent disease, lack resources.24, 43 Other (children, elders, unhoused people, persons status) deleterious especially preexisting chronic disease.39, 44 Challenges facing assessment outcome Much like wildfire-associated vary street home, amount shade, type/quality housing, greenspace availability. impact duration timing temperatures. Urban Heat Island observed residences concrete less greenery average trapping night.45 evening relief locations others. Along lines, risk-mitigation use relocation conditioned spaces cooling facilities. features variable depend risk, financial means, cognitive/social access transportation cooled spaces.46, 47 strong evidence suggest acclimates levels time—as relative, absolute, informative populations.48 Regarding aforementioned dissipation tax system. As simply quantifying diagnostic codes labeled illnesses heatstroke, exhaustion) capture full heat-associated impacts. half recorded 1995 1997 Milwaukee listed cause.49 Furthermore, effect" prominently encountered maintain long durations magnitude wave's impacts.50 Our growing, carrying promise characterizing wide available methodologies. Nevertheless, remain accomplishing task. Care must taken advance precision definitions ascertain, evacuations, service, onset diseases accounted for. outside scope discussion, approach future perspectives workforces, integral breadth crisis.51 ensure only occur progressively future. hurricanes, frequent widespread, encounter work complicating it. should familiar impacts, unaware determinants unexpected strategy. None. authors declare no conflicts interest. Data sharing applicable article datasets generated analysed current study.

Language: Английский

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Ageing in place in low-income communities in tropics: A field investigation on overheating, thermal comfort, and well-being of young elders

Building and Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 112480 - 112480

Published: Dec. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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An Update on Drug–Nutrient Interactions and Dental Decay in Older Adults

Nutrients, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(23), P. 4900 - 4900

Published: Nov. 23, 2023

In recent decades, the global demographic landscape has undergone a discernible shift that been characterised by progressive increase in proportion of elderly individuals, indicative an enduring inclination toward extended lifespans. The aging process, accompanied physiological changes and dietary patterns, contributes to detrimental deviations micronutrient consumption. This vulnerable population faces heightened risks, including dental caries, due structural functional modifications resulting from insufficient nutritional sustenance. Factors such as changes, inadequate nutrition, prevalence multiple chronic pathologies leading polypharmacy contribute challenge maintaining optimal status. scenario increases likelihood drug interactions, both between medications with nutrients microbiome, triggering complications decay other pathologies. Since industry is evolving new types food, supplements, are being designed, there need for further research on mechanisms which drugs interfere certain affect homeostasis, exemplified caries mouths older adults. Infectious diseases, among them exert serious impacts health overall quality life demographic. comprehensive review endeavours elucidate intricate interplay drugs, nutrients, oral cavity environment, overarching objective mitigating potential hazards posed general well-being By scrutinising optimising these multifaceted this examination aims proactively minimise susceptibility spectrum health-related issues consequences associated decay.

Language: Английский

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