Assessing perceptions and priorities for health impacts of climate change within local Michigan health departments

Julie M. Carter, Patricia D. Koman (), Lorraine Cameron, Aaron Ferguson, Patrick Jacuzzo and Jason Duvall
Additional contact information
Julie M. Carter: University of Michigan
Patricia D. Koman: University of Michigan
Lorraine Cameron: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Aaron Ferguson: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Patrick Jacuzzo: Marquette County Health Department
Jason Duvall: University of Michigan

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2021, vol. 11, issue 4, No 7, 595-609

Abstract: Abstract Climate change affects Michigan’s public health in several primary ways, including increased incidences of vector-borne, waterborne, heat-related, and respiratory illness. Because local health departments (LHDs) play a central role in surveillance and preventative health services, they are among the first institutions to contend with the local impacts of climate change. To assess current perceptions among Michigan public health officials, an online survey was conducted in partnership with the Michigan Association for Local Public Health (MALPH). Most of the Michigan respondents (62%, n = 34) agreed that their jurisdictions have experienced climate change in the last 20 years, and 77% agreed that climate change will impact their jurisdictions in the coming 20 years. However, only 35% (n = 34) of Michigan officials agreed that climate change is a priority in their departments. About one quarter (25%, n = 34) of Michigan LHD respondents did not know about the level of expertise of either the state and federal agencies, responsible for assisting them with information and programs related to climate change and health. Uncertainty regarding the resources available to them may hinder LHDs from developing necessary preparedness, so meeting this need could bolster the public health response to climate change.

Keywords: Climate; Disaster planning; Greenhouse effect; Health; Health policy; Hospitals; Humans; Local government; Perception; Program development; Public health/methods; Surveys and questionnaires; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-021-00679-0 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:11:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1007_s13412-021-00679-0

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/13412

DOI: 10.1007/s13412-021-00679-0

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences is currently edited by Walter A. Rosenbaum

More articles in Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences from Springer, Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().