Public Health
Climate Change and Global Public Health
By Prof. Sunita Hooda, Prof. Geetu Gambhir, Edited by Joel Shepard
Climate change is one of the most significant threats to global public health in the 21st century. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, more frequent extreme weather events, and rising sea levels directly and indirectly affect human health across the globe. Heatwaves can cause heat stress, dehydration, and cardiovascular strain, particularly among vulnerable populations like the elderly and young children. Changing climate patterns also expand the geographic range of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and Lyme disease, putting new regions at risk. Additionally, disruptions to food and water systems caused by droughts, floods, and shifting agricultural patterns can lead to malnutrition and waterborne diseases, especially in low-income and marginalized communities. Beyond these physical health impacts, climate change contributes to mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and trauma, especially after natural disasters or displacement. Air pollution, often exacerbated by climate change, leads to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, disproportionately affecting urban populations. Addressing the intersection of climate change and public health requires coordinated global action, policy interventions, sustainable urban planning, and strengthening of health systems. By prioritizing adaptation, mitigation, and resilience strategies, the global community can protect human health and well-being in the face of a rapidly changing climate. "Climate Change and Global Public Health" explores the complex links between environmental shifts and their profound impacts on human health worldwide.
Contents: 1. Human Parasitology and Public Health, 2. Environment and Ecological Patterns in Public Health,
3. Global Warming and Climate System, 4. Public Health Impacts on Polluted Water, 5. COVID-19 and Public Health Disease, 6. Public Health Programmes, 7. Environment and Human Health, 8. Climate Change on Agriculture,
9. Global Surface Temperature.
About the Authors
Prof. Sunita Hooda is a Professor at Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, India, with over thirty-three years of teaching and research experience. She holds an M.Tech. and Ph.D. from IIT Delhi, specializing in Polymer Chemistry. Her research focuses on the "Investigation of Synthetic and Natural Polymers in Environmental Monitoring." She also has expertise in fabricating nanocomposites and customizing them for specific applications. Dr. Hooda has successfully led several research projects funded by various organizations and has published around 85 research papers in reputed national and international journals. She has presented her work at over 40 national and international conferences and workshops. Recognized for her excellence in teaching, she received the Best Teacher Award from the Delhi Government. An accomplished author, Dr. Hooda has written six books and contributed ten chapters at school, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels. She has supervised three Ph.D. students and is currently guiding two more. Additionally, she has mentored over seventy undergraduate and postgraduate students in summer projects and internships. Prof. Geetu Gambhir, a distinguished academician and researcher in Organic Chemistry, and has served in the academic community of University of Delhi for over 25 years. Currently a Professor at Acharya Narendra Dev College (DU), she holds a Ph.D., M.Sc., and B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from the University of Delhi. With over 18 years of research experience. Her work focuses on designing biopolymers and organic frameworks integrated with nanometallic oxides for environmental monitoring and the mitigation of antibiotics, steroids, and heavy metal ions from wastewater. She has published 17 papers in reputed journals, presented over 30 conference papers, authored 2 books, and developed 55 e-learning modules for the MHRD's e-PG Pathshala initiative. Dr. Gambhir has mentored over 50 undergraduate students through DBT Star/ELITE projects and serves as an external co-guide for Ph.D. research. She has led student societies, judged science fairs, and organized academic events. Her contributions have earned her awards, including the Teachers Excellence Award (2023) and the International Education Excellence Award (2021).