Noninfectious Illnesses Are Expected to Become Top Killers

Tuesday 03 June 2008
by: Donald G. McNeil Jr., The New York Times

As the world's population ages, gets richer, smokes more, eats more and drives more, noncommunicable diseases will become bigger killers than infectious ones over the next 20 years, the World Health Organization is reporting.

(Photo: The New York Times)

The report, World Health Statistics 2008, shows that diseases like diarrhea, AIDS, tuberculosis, neonatal tetanus and malaria will become less important causes of death as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and traffic accidents claim greater percentages of victims. There will still be wide disparities, the report says. Infectious diseases will remain major killers in Africa but should decrease in Asia.

Dr. Ties Boerma, director of health statistics for the agency, said he had seen more obese people and more smokers in capitals around the developing world.

"We tend to associate developing countries with infectious diseases," he said, but heart disease and stroke are becoming "the chief causes of death in more and more countries."

Annual deaths from AIDS are expected to fall to 1.8 percent of all deaths in 2030 from more than 3 percent now, the report said.

Tobacco companies are aggressively marketing to young people in poor countries. Almost a quarter of smokers started before age 10, the W.H.O. said, and one of its surveys of teenagers found that 20 percent owned clothing with cigarette brand logos. Citing freedom of choice, the companies work to break down traditions preventing women from smoking.

Worldwide, 100 million people each year are impoverished by paying for health care, the report said. And 40 percent of pregnant women and infants do not get basic health care or immunizations.

Skin Cancer, Malaria, and the Hanta Virus are serious health risks of global warming

Malaria
Malaria is a disease that will increase during global warming. It is one of the earliest recorded human diseases, and is spread by the bite of a female mosquito. Mosquitoes breed in warm, wet places. With the increase of rain and warmth during global warming, the population of mosquitoes will increase, making the risk of getting this disease also increase. Malaria means "bad air" in Italian referring to the time when people thought that it was caused by gases around areas where mosquitoes thrive.

When you are bitten by a infected mosquito, it sends parasites into your bloodstream. These parasites keep reproducing, making the disease more devastating. Symptoms are fever and chills that come and go, headache, weakness, and an enlarged spleen. An enlarged spleen could rupture, or require surgery to remove. People can live without a spleen, but not having one increases the risk of infections or other problems.

Hanta Virus
The Hanta Virus is a deadly respiratory disease carried by wild rodents. With Global Warming, the population of rodents will soar because there will be long periods of drought followed by warm, early spring, and rodents thrive in these climate conditions.

If you come in contact with a rodent or if you breathe air that contains their waste you could get the virus. Dogs and cats are not known to carry the Hanta Virus. People most likely to get it are people who work in fields, or install and fix things in basements or attics where rodents can nest.

Some symptoms may be flu-like symptoms with fever and chills, you may have a dry cough, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. You could experience fatigue and have a hard time breathing because your lungs could fill with fluid. If you have these symptoms please see a doctor right away.

Although there is some cure in Asia for their type of virus, in the United States ours is more devastating and we have treatments that enable survival; but only if you seek treatment immediately.

For more information go to these resources: Montana State University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is one of the main cancer concerns of the world when Global Warming hits. The skin cancer people get most is melanoma. Though melanoma is the most common, it is also the most curable and and can even be prevented. Early discovery is very important. If you have moles that are bothering you or are doing weird things such as changing size, shape, color, or if they bleed constantly, you should consult a doctor.
Suntan CartoonTo prevent skin cancer you should wear sunscreen and stay in the shade. You should also wear light color clothing and a hat so your head and body can stay safe. You should steer clear of tanning salons, their tanning beds have the same ultraviolet rays as the sun. Remember, stay safe so you can fun in the sun. For more information checkout the American Medical Association or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Note: What we have written here is not intended to take the place of your doctor's advice. Please talk to your family doctor if you have any questions.

Adapted from http://library.thinkquest.org/J003411/health.htm

Report: Polluted Air Puts Millions at Risk

from WebMD — a health information Web site for patients

Todd Zwillich

May 2, 2008 — Up to 125 million Americans are breathing air that puts their health at risk, a report released Thursday by the American Lung Association estimates.

The report shows that dozens of U.S. cities and counties regularly have unsafe levels of particulate and ozone smog pollution. Such pollution is a risk factor for worsening illness in people with asthma and other diseases but could also pose risks to healthy people, the report states.

The annual report ranks U.S. cities and counties on the number of unsafe air days throughout the year.

"Los Angeles remains the most ozone-polluted city in the nation," American Lung Association Vice President Janice Nolan told reporters. The city also scored at the top of the list for worst year-round particulate exposure.

Pollution's Effects

Ozone pollution is produced when exhaust from cars, power plants, and other sources reacts chemically in sunlight. Particle pollution is a mix of solid particle and liquid droplets in the air. It can include soot, dust, pollen, chemicals, and metals.

Both forms of pollution can worsen conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease.

"This process wreaks havoc in people with chronic lung disease," says Norman H. Edelman, MD, the American Lung Association's chief medical officer.

Overall ozone levels dropped about 7% nationwide between 1997 and 2006, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data. But the EPA angered environmental groups in March when it set a more lax ozone pollution standard than scientific advisors said was necessary to protect human health.

A report issued last week by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) confirmed that ozone pollution poses risks to children, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases. But NAS experts also issued a statement declaring that "premature deaths are not limited to people who are already within a few days of dying."

After Los Angeles, cities with the worst year-round particle pollution included:

• Pittsburgh
• Bakersfield, Calif.
• Birmingham, Ala.
• Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
• Atlanta
• Cincinnati

After Los Angeles, cities with the worst ozone pollution included:

• Bakersfield, Calif.
• Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
• Houston
• Fresno, Calif.
• Sacramento, Calif.
• Dallas/Ft. Worth
• New York/Newark, N.J.

American Lung Association President Bernadette Toomey says the group is lobbying Congress to order tougher ozone and particulate standards. "Americans are still being denied the health protection they deserve under the Clean Air Act," she says.

Efforts to force stricter standards could be part of a congressional debate on global warming expected this summer.

Business groups lobbied against stricter ozone and particulate standards, saying many companies and utilities aren't required to implement existing standards until 2013.

"Air quality around the United States continues to improve under the existing standards," says Bryan Brendle, an energy lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers, an industry group.

Ozone: Top 25 Cities

Here are the top 25 cities for ozone pollution:

1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA

2. Bakersfield, CA

3. Visalia-Porterville, CA

4. Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX

5. Fresno-Madera, CA

6. Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Yuba City, CA-NV

7. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

8. New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA

9. Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV

10. Baton Rouge-Pierre Part, LA

11. Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD

12. Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, NC-SC / San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA / Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL

15. St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL / Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX

17. Merced, CA

18. El Centro, CA

19. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

20. Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS

21. Modesto, CA

22. Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL

23. Las Vegas-Paradise-Pahrump, NV

24. Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI / Hanford-Corcoran, CA / Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI

Particle Pollution: Top 25 Cities

Here are the top 25 cities for particle pollution:

1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA

2. Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA

3. Bakersfield, CA

4. Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL

5.Visalia-Porterville, CA

6. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL

7. Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN

8. Fresno-Madera, CA / Hanford-Corcoran, CA / Detroit-Warren-Flint, MI /Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH

12. Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley, GA

13. St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL

14. Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH / Charleston, WV

16. Lancaster, PA / York-Hanover-Gettysburg, PA

18. Louisville-Jefferson County-Elizabethtown- Scottsburg, KY-IN

19. Rome, GA / Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH

21. Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC

22. Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV / Canton-Massillon, OH / Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC

25. Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL / Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV

Cleanest Cities

Here are the cleanest cities for ozone pollution, in alphabetical order:

• Albuquerque, NM
• Ames-Boone, IA
• Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
• Austin-Round Rock, TX
• Bangor, ME
• Bellingham, WA
• Bloomington, IN
• Bloomington-Normal, IL
• Bowling Green, KY
• Brunswick, GA
• Burlington-South Burlington, VT
• Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
• Carson City, NV
• Cedar Rapids, IA
• Champaign-Urbana, IL
• Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
• Decatur, IL
• Des Moines-Newton-Pella, IA
• Duluth, MN-WI
• Elmira, NY
• Eugene-Springfield, OR
• Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN
• Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
• Gadsden, AL
• Gainesville, FL
• Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
• Honolulu, HI
• Lafayette-Frankfort, IN
• Laredo, TX
• Lexington-Fayette--Frankfort--Richmond, KY
• Lincoln, NE
• Logan, UT-ID
• Medford, OR
• Montgomery-Alexander City, AL
• Naples-Marco Island, FL
• Ocala, FL
• Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA
• Peoria-Canton, IL
• Port St. Lucie-Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
• Rapid City, SD
• Reno-Sparks-Fernley, NV
• Roanoke, VA
• Rochester, MN
• Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY
• Rockford-Freeport-Rochelle, IL
• Salinas, CA
• Savannah-Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA
• Sioux Falls, SD
• Spokane, WA
• Springfield, IL
• Utica-Rome, NY
• Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
• Wilmington, NC
• Yuma, AZ

SOURCES: "State of the Air: 2008," American Lung Association, May 1, 2008; Janice Nolan, vice president, American Lung Association; Norman H. Edelman, MD, chief medical officer, American Lung Association; "Estimating Mortality Risk Reduction and Economic Benefits from Controlling Ozone Air Pollution," National Academy of Sciences, April 22, 2008.

Adapted from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/573910

Health Dangers from a Warming Planet

Health and Global Warming

Katrina's aftermath: New Orleans residents are rescued from flood waters. Photo: Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Devastating Storms

Nearly half the U.S. population lives in coastal areas, making stronger hurricanes and storms a particular threat. One need only remember the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to know how much death and destruction one powerful storm can wreak. (Get details on hurricanes and climate change.)

• Loss of life. Katrina, which pummeled the Gulf Coast and flooded New Orleans in 2005, was the sixth strongest hurricane ever recorded and the third strongest that made landfall in the U.S. It was also one of the deadliest, implicated in the death of nearly 2,000 people.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning. Hurricanes can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning when people use portable generators in response to power outages. After Hurricane Charley struck Florida in 2004, at least 167 people died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Illness from contaminated food and water. Waste- and debris-filled flood waters can pollute drinking water or food supplies, causing gastrointestinal disease or forcing people to go hungry. Children playing in contaminated floodwater can become sick or get bitten by insects or snakes. Cleanup workers or volunteers may also suffer health problems. (See how flooding can cause dangerous water pollution problems.)

Katrina's force unleashed debris, raw sewage and a slew of toxins into flood waters. Many first-responders and ordinary citizens in New Orleans reported nausea and vomiting. Some experienced rashes and blisters after contact with dirty flood waters; others suffered breathing problems from toxic fumes or mold spores. (See also Hurricane Katrina Water Contamination.)

• Damage to public health infrastructure. Rescue efforts are hampered by power outages or damage to buildings that deliver care. Several major New Orleans hospitals experienced flooding and power outages during Katrina, leaving those needing life-support systems and other electrically powered equipment at the mercy of emergency generators; some patients did not survive.
• Anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Even years after a disaster, many victims suffer psychological aftereffects. For example, over 38 percent of the people who came to an interim Emergency Department in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina were later diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Deadly Heat Waves

Scientists predict that severe heat waves will become more common as global warming continues. In the past several decades, extreme heat has become more deadly than hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, floods and earthquakes — combined. (Get details on heat waves and climate change.)

The dangers include:

• Heat stroke or exhaustion. People suffer heat-related illness when their natural "thermostats" cannot cope with too much heat and their body temperature rises rapidly. Sweating normally cools us down, but with intense heat that may not be enough. Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness and can cause death or permanent disability if not treated promptly.

During Europe's 2003 heat wave, one of the most lethal ever, a staggering 70,000 people died as a result of the relentless heat, breaking all records for heat-induced fatalities.

• Breathing problems. More hot days mean ripe conditions for ozone smog, which forms when pollutants from tailpipes and smokestacks mix with sunlight, heat and stagnant air (and thus occurs mostly during the summer months). Smog triggers asthma attacks and worsens other breathing problems. Hospital admissions and emergency room visits for respiratory illnesses rise during periods of high smog levels. (See Asthma and Air Pollution).

The blistering heat wave of 2006 is a sobering case in point. As the heat swept across the U.S., America’s skies were filled with unsafe levels of smog. (See fact sheet Global warming, heat waves and unhealthy air [PDF].)

The risks of heat-related health problems may be exacerbated by:

• Increasing urbanization. About half the world's population live in urban areas (compared with about a third in 1970). Cities become "heat islands," with asphalt and buildings diminishing the cooling effect of vegetation and trees. By 2030, nearly two-thirds of the population is expected to live in urban areas. The combination of longer stretches of scorching days and increasing urbanization means ripe conditions for illness or death from heat.

In places with extreme temperature variations between winter and summer, like Chicago and New York, the risk of death from heat waves goes up. Cities in temperate climates tend to be less prepared to cope with excessive heat, while normally hot places like Miami and Houston are better equipped (for example, more buildings and homes have air conditioning). (See How Much Heat Can We Stand?)

• Perilous blackouts. Heat waves up the ante for power outages. Long periods of hot weather push up electricity demand, straining the power grid and increasing the likelihood of blackouts. The elderly and infirm are particularly vulnerable. Without power to run air conditioners or elevators, people who have limited mobility or are in poor health may suffer or die in overheated apartments (see Who's at Risk?).

Raging Wildfires

Wildfires are on the rise in the U.S. As the climate warms, hot, dry summers are creating tinderbox conditions ideal for wildfires. Climate change is projected to increase wildfire risk across much of the West (see Wildfires on the Rise).

In fall 2007, wildfires in Southern California destroyed over 1,500 homes, burned 500,000 acres of land, and displaced more than 900,000 people. Besides damage to property and to forests, wildfires can also cause debilitating injuries:

• Hazardous air quality. Fires produce smoke, noxious gases, and tiny soot particles. The smoke can be transported hundreds or even thousands of miles to urban centers, exposing millions of people to wildfire fumes and worsening air quality. Over the longer term, air pollution from wildfires exacerbates eye, heart, and lung diseases. Children, the elderly and people with chronic heart or lung problems are especially at risk. (See more about smoke from wildfires.)
• Burns. A big risk for people in the midst of a wildfire is, of course, getting burned. Caring for burn victims and preventing infection are difficult tasks, and many burn victims remain disabled. In the 2007 California wildfires, the San Diego medical center cared for more than 50 burn victims.

Spread of disease

In some regions, a changing climate may also increase cases of tropical mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, waterborne diseases like gastrointestinal illness and even viruses carried by mice such as hantavirus. (See Diseases Spread as Climate Changes and Virus from Africa Spreading in a Warmer Italy.)

• Mosquito-borne diseases. Malaria and other infectious diseases carried by mosquitoes are a problem mostly in tropical countries. Heavy rainfall and humidity help breed disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes. Studies indicate that higher winter temperatures expand the range where mosquitoes can survive, increasing the likelihood of disease outbreaks farther north or at higher altitudes.
• Waterborne disease outbreaks. More than half of all waterborne diseases in the U. S. occur after major rainfall events. The most common is diarrhea from drinking contaminated water. Heavy rainfall can overflow sewer systems and wash waste and chemicals into rivers and oceans. Runoff can cause coliform bacteria outbreaks and algae blooms that prevent people from swimming or eating fish from those waters.

What you can do

This dire list does not have to play out in full force. You can help by:

• support national action to cap global warming pollution, and
• make small healthful changes in your daily life to help slow the effects of global warming.

Adapted from http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=20916
june1st 2008

Are You at Risk?

Health and Global Warming

An evacuated family driven from their San Diego home by the 2007 wildfires. Photo: Michael Raphael/FEMA

Do you have children?

Because they are still developing physically, breathe faster than adults and rely on adults for care, children are more vulnerable. Watch out for:

• Heat waves. Infants and children up to four years old are particularly sensitive to heat and also rely on a care-giver to keep them adequately hydrated.
• Smog and soot pollution. Because their lungs are still developing, children can suffer irreversible lung damage as adults from breathing unhealthy air when young.
• Food- and waterborne diseases. Small children and children living in poverty are at higher risk for falling ill from diseases that climate change will likely exacerbate.
• Stress, anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder after disastrous extreme weather events.

Are you over 65 years old?

The U.S. population is aging; by 2030 one fifth is projected to be older than 65. Older adults often have frail health and limited mobility, making them more vulnerable to:

• Heat waves. Older adults with limited incomes may not have air conditioning and may have difficulty getting to air conditioned centers, if available. That can be deadly. The elderly are less resilient to temperature extremes in general.
• Floods and other natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina showed all too clearly how a disproportionate number of senior citizens often suffer or die during a disaster.

Do you have a chronic medical condition?

People with heart problems, respiratory illnesses, diabetes or compromised immune systems are more prone to exacerbated health problems from:

• Extreme weather-related disasters. Disruption of ongoing medical care and medicines is dangerous for the chronically ill.
• Heat waves. People with diabetes are at greater risk of death from heat waves.
• Bad air quality. Stagnant hot air masses and higher ozone and soot concentrations worsen heart and lung conditions. People with diabetes are also more susceptible to harm from air pollution.
• Transmitted disease and illness. People with weakened immune systems, such as those with AIDS or those taking certain drugs to treat cancer, have less ability to fight off diarrhea from waterborne microbes or fevers from spreading viruses or mosquito-borne illnesses.

Are you pregnant?

Pregnant women and their unborn children are particularly susceptible to:

• Food-borne illnesses and other climate-sensitive diseases. Certain medications to treat infections may not be recommended for pregnant women.
• Ill effects from extreme weather disasters. Disruption of health care access, exposure to toxins, unsafe conditions, and psychological stress following disasters can endanger pregnant women and the health of the fetus.

Is your family income on the low end?

An income of $21,200 for four people living in the contiguous 48 states (or $26,500 if you live in Alaska and $24,380 in Hawaii) is considered below the poverty level. Lower-income populations are disproportionately affected by:

• Heat waves. Concentrations of lower-income populations in inner-city neighborhoods often mean a disproportionate number suffer from the heat island effect: tall building and concrete intensify scorching days and stifling nights. People living in dwellings lacking air conditioning or windows that open face a higher risk of death.
• Extreme weather disasters. People with lower incomes may not have the means to evacuate quickly out of harm's way. Access to medical care is more easily disrupted for lower income individuals. Katrina showed us the devastation that a natural disaster can bring to people living in poverty.

Do you live in an area with unhealthy air quality?

More hot days likely mean more smoggy unhealthy-air days. That's because sunlight and heat spark a chemical reaction between ground-level ozone and other pollutants to form smog. If you live in an area already plagued by smog and soot, be prepared. Exposure to unhealthy air is not good for anybody but is particularly bad if you:

• Exercise outdoors regularly. On red-alert days, even the healthiest people should not exercise outdoors. Breathing in ozone singes your lungs much like a sunburn and repeated exposure can reduce lung function.
• Work outside. More exposure to polluted air puts you at greater risk of health problems. Working outside in a rural or suburban area is an added risk factor for getting infectious diseases carried by insects and ticks, like Lyme disease, that may proliferate in a warmer climate.

Do you live in a region that is especially prone to harmful climate change?

Some regions of the U.S. may be more affected by particular dangers than others. What can you expect if you live in the following regions?

• Southeast Atlantic and Gulf Coast. Residents of low-lying coastal areas will likely experience the one-two-three punch of more violent storms, strong storm surges and flooding, and coastal erosion. That will mean more damage to buildings and roads and possible contamination of drinking water.
• Southwest: Higher temperatures and less rainfall in an already hot, arid climate will likely strain already taxed water resources. The chances for wildfires and dangerously bad air quality will go up.
• Northwest: Heavy rainfall may lead to flooding and sewage overflow, causing illness and spread of disease.
• The Great Plains: Milder winters and scorching summers could take a toll on the country's" bread basket" and hinder food production. Residents of cities would particularly suffer from intense heat waves.
• Northeast: Rising temperatures could mean more allergies, the spread of diseases carried by insects or animals, such as hantavirus, and the expansion of West Nile virus and Lyme disease northward into Canada.
• Alaska: Melting permafrost and retreating sea ice are already disrupting residents' lives and subsistence hunting and fishing. Milder temperatures are allowing more pests such as spruce bark beetles to proliferate.

Is your city or state prepared for climate change?

Warning systems and disaster preparedness save lives. See how your city or state measures up:

Cities with a Heat Health Watch/Warning System:

• Dallas/Fort Worth;
• Cincinnati/Dayton;
• Chicago;
• Jackson, Miss.;
• Lake Charles, La.;
• Little Rock, Ark.;
• Memphis, Tenn.;
• New Orleans;
• Philadelphia;
• Phoenix;
• Portland;
• St. Louis;
• Shreveport, La.,
• Seattle; and
• Yuma, Ariz.

Philadelphia’s heat-watch warning system has already saved lives and shown that these systems can be effective and low-cost.

Thirty-three states have climate action plans or are creating them. For a detailed list, see the Pew report "Adaptation Planning" [PDF].

Six states have adaptation plans in progress:

• Alaska (mostly addresses relocation)
• California (includes public health): Climate Change Center and detailed report [PDF]
• Florida
• Maryland
• Oregon
• Washington

Six more recommend developing plans:

• Arizona,
• Colorado,
• New Hampshire,
• North Carolina,
• Utah and
• Vermont.

How you can help

• Share Tips for a Healthy, Low-Carbon Life with friends and family.
• Tell Congress to cap America's global warming pollution.
• Find other ways to help slow global warming.

Adapted from http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=20900
june 1st 2008