Health Vulnerabilities and Climate Change with the Lancet South America

Climate change is now regarded as the greatest emergency of our time, yet its effects on human health remain largely under-researched, despite growing calls to develop frameworks to support public health adaptation. The increased quantity and intensity of extreme weather events has contributed to a rise in illnesses, such as vector- borne and noncommunicable diseases. In Peru, vulnerability to climate change is already visible, with a 25% rise in climate emergencies documented between 2005 and 2014. The majority of these emergencies were hydrometeorological (droughts, heavy rains, floods, extreme temperatures) with low temperatures, heavy rains and floods being the type of climate events that affected the most people.

In 2020, Bridge to Health Medical and Dental USA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lancet Countdown South America to work on assessing health vulnerabilities associated with climate change in Peru. The objective of this work is to identify principal indicators of vulnerability to dengue and diarrhea associated with extreme weather events in order to better understand climate change threats on health in a Peru-specific context, as well as to understand how diverse factors play major roles in said pathways. The inclusion of social factors in this study is an important new input for climate-risk perception and evaluation.

By looking at key factors affecting dengue and diarrhea vulnerability in Peru, this research aims to support local authorities in the identification of the most appropriate policies and practices to mitigate health vulnerability associated with climate change. Identifying geographical areas at risk, as well as indicators (human, social, financial, natural and/or physical), is key to prepare for future climate change scenarios.

Our main goals for 2022 are to finish database compilation, apply a reduction analysis (Principal Component Analysis - PCA) on the selected variables, and build the proposed vulnerability formula. We will also host a workshop with key experts in this field to receive feedback and recommendations on the selected indicator framework. Following this, we are planning on publishing an article mid-year, in collaboration with the Lancet South America.

We are looking forward to sharing our findings with government entities and other key authorities, helping them identify key geographical areas and indicators (human, social/financial, natural and/or physical) which should be improved to mitigate current health risks and prepare for future climate change scenarios.

This research will be complemented with qualitative data collected from the Yanamono Clinic to explore local perceptions of increased flooding in the region and heightened health vulnerabilities.

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