Climate Change and Its Health Impact in South Africa: A Scoping Review Protocol

Olubunmi Margaret Ogbodu, Ayodeji Oluwabunmi Oriola () and Busisiwe Mrara
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Olubunmi Margaret Ogbodu: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, South Africa
Ayodeji Oluwabunmi Oriola: Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, South Africa
Busisiwe Mrara: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117, South Africa

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: Climate change is profoundly impacting human health in South Africa, aggravating existing health challenges and creating new threats, particularly in vulnerable populations. This scoping review aims to comprehensively map existing evidence of climate change and diverse human health impacts to assist in the equipping of health systems to address evolving challenges of climate change. The scoping review will inform the development of evidence-based policy, improve public health preparedness, and ensure that adaptation strategies are effectively tailored to South Africa’s socio-economic and environmental conditions. This scoping review protocol will be conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, following five steps: (1) defining the research question, (2) search strategy, (3) setting inclusion criteria, (4) extracting data, (5) assessing, summarizing, and presenting findings. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) tool will be used. A comprehensive peer-reviewed literature search, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, will be conducted by two independent reviewers. The review will be conducted over eight weeks, focusing on English studies published between 2015 and 2025, and conducted within South Africa. A two-stage screening process will determine article eligibility. Disagreements will be resolved through consensus and consultation of a third reviewer. The results of this review will be presented as tables, including a narrative synthesis of the findings.

Keywords: climate change-induced health impacts; vulnerable populations; climate action policies; environmental health; health disparities; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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