Health
-
WebMD posted a story about the likelihood of a “brutal” ragweed season in the next few weeks across the US. Ragweed grows best when temperatures are hot and moisture is plentiful. There has been enough of both earlier in this growing season to cause worries that a large ragweed population may bring lots of pollen…
-
This week’s Roadmap question for the Georgia Climate Project focuses on the need for more research on aspects of climate-related health vulnerabilities. This could include both vector-borne diseases like West Nile Virus or Zika and heat-related illnesses. Public health agencies need to know what types of diseases to plan for in the future to help…
-
Here is a really interesting article from Weather Underground about the controversy over which weather extreme kills more people. I’ve heard both sides of the story, and now I know why it’s not agreed upon–they are using different databases that count deaths in different ways. How you collect data (any sort, not just deaths) can…
-
Self.com posted an interesting story a couple of weeks ago about how cold weather affects your joints and can make them more painful. There are several factors which can lead to painful joints. One theory is that cold conditions make blood retreat to your body core, leading extremities like legs and arms still and so…
-
As temperatures continue to rise, people in Georgia will be exposed to more health challenges like tropical diseases, heat-related illnesses, and air and water quality issues. Although all Georgians will feel the impacts of these challenges, the poor, elderly and young will be especially affected. How can we build resilience in healthcare and public health…
-
It is the time of year when football coaches start to get ready for the start of fall practice in anticipation of the coming football season. It’s also the time of year when heat and humidity can cause dangerous conditions for heat stress and heat stroke. Every year a few people die from practicing too…
-
A recent article in North Carolina Health News highlights the problems that older people may face when heat waves occur. Older human bodies (and probably also those of older pets and livestock) do not handle heat as well as younger folk, so they are more likely to suffer ill health when temperatures rise. This is…