Beyond Climate Change and Health: Integrating Broader Environmental Change and Natural Environments for Public Health Protection and Promotion in the UK

• Published in: Atmosphere Vol. 9; no. 7; p. 245
• Main Authors: Fleming, Lora, Leonardi, Giovanni, White, Mathew, Medlock, Jolyon, Alcock, Ian, Macintyre, Helen, Maguire, Kath, Nichols, Gordon, Wheeler, Benedict, Morris, George, Taylor, Tim, Hemming, Deborah, Iacono, Gianni, Gillingham, Emma, Hansford, Kayleigh, Heaviside, Clare, Bone, Angie, Duarte-Davidson, Raquel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.07.2018
• Subjects: aerosolized exposures; Allergens; Climate change; demographic change; Environmental changes; Environmental economics; Environmental effects; Environmental factors; Environmental health; Environmental impact; Environments; Health risks; Identification; Infectious diseases; land management; land-use; Medical research; Mental disorders; Mental health; patient and public involvement (PPI); Pollen; Protection; Public health; Public involvement; Public participation; Science; Sustainable development; Systematic review; Vector-borne diseases; Vectors (Biology); Veterinary medicine; well-being; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 2073-4433; 2073-4433
• DOI: 10.3390/atmos9070245

Increasingly, the potential short and long-term impacts of climate change on human health and wellbeing are being demonstrated. However, other environmental change factors, particularly relating to the natural environment, need to be taken into account to understand the totality of these interactions and impacts. This paper provides an overview of ongoing research in the Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) on Environmental Change and Health, particularly around the positive and negative effects of the natural environment on human health and well-being and primarily within a UK context. In addition to exploring the potential increasing risks to human health from water-borne and vector-borne diseases and from exposure to aeroallergens such as pollen, this paper also demonstrates the potential opportunities and co-benefits to human physical and mental health from interacting with the natural environment. The involvement of a Health and Environment Public Engagement (HEPE) group as a public forum of “critical friends” has proven useful for prioritising and exploring some of this research; such public involvement is essential to minimise public health risks and maximise the benefits which are identified from this research into environmental change and human health. Research gaps are identified and recommendations made for future research into the risks, benefits and potential opportunities of climate and other environmental change on human and planetary health.