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Climate change, health and the need to increase resilience and capacity
Collegian (2010) 17, 151—152
available at www.sciencedirect.com
EDITORIAL
Climate change, health and the need to increase resilience and capacity Published reports warn of impending catastrophic consequences likely to result from climate change. These include major disruption to ecological systems affecting surface air temperatures, sea levels and seawater acidity. Should these predictions be correct, the impact on health will include direct heat exposure, extreme weather events, air pollution, reduced local food supply, food and vector-borne infectious disease, and mental stress (Kjellstrom & Weaver, 2009). It is further predicted that the impact of climate change on human society, especially health, will result in increased mortality, injuries, and greater susceptibility to disease worldwide. Disasters are now occurring more frequently and having greater impact globally (CRED, 2010). Few would dispute this claim given the recent events in Australia such as severe heat waves, devastating bushfires, and floods. These events challenged the surge capacity of the local and national health system. Health issues are thus a major concern of climate change as extreme weather events have the potential to significantly disrupt the normal functioning of the health care system. For example, in addition to the direct effects of the bushfires in Victoria in 2003, smoke blanketed northeastern Victoria and southern New South Wales for 38 days. A survey of residents conducted in the Albury local government area after the event reported that 70 percent of the participants who responded indicated experiencing at least one health effect resulting from the smoke and five percent reported seeking medical assistance because of symptoms directly related to the smoke (Kolbe & Gilchrist, 2009). Reports from sources such as Emergency Management Australia (EMA), the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and others have addressed issues such as catastrophic emergencies and disasters, population shifts and displaced populations, terrorism and conflict, and other outcomes associated with climate change. Consequently, in the 2009—2010 Budget, the Australian Government committed $2.75 billion for the Climate Change Action Fund, targeting assistance to business and communities in making the transi-
tion to a carbon constrained economy and energy efficiency. Further, $79.3 million has been allocated for emergency management and national security, strengthening efforts in preparedness for mitigating natural disasters generally and also for those communities that may be directly affected by disasters. When disasters occur, WHO, National Governments, and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) send teams of experts to inspect and assess the damage, both human and material, and recommend appropriate teams of health workers, including nurses, to be sent to the affected areas. While the level of nurses’ preparedness to work in disaster situations in general remains relatively unknown, concerns have been raised about nurses’ lack of preparation, awareness, and skills required (Arbon et al., 2006) to work effectively in these catastrophic situations. There have been a number of strategies implemented recently in recognition of the urgent need to enhance professional development and capacity across the health professions (Capon, Synnott, & Holliday, 2009). In relation to the preparedness of nurses, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently established the Asia Pacific Disaster and Emergency Nursing Network to enhance nurses’ awareness and preparedness for impending disasters (Usher, 2010). The International Council of Nursing (ICN) published a Position Statement (2008) alerting nurses to the many health consequences related to climate change and the importance of this to the nursing profession. In addition, they recently developed and released a set of Disaster Nursing Competencies (ICN, 2009). The Flinders University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, in recognition of the issue of climate change and the need for disaster preparedness, established the Flinders University Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health, and an ICN accredited International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP® ) Research Program for Disaster Nursing. The main aims of the Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health are to encourage, support, and expand research in disaster health and to build an evidence-based forum from which to inform the practice of disaster nursing.
1322-7696/$ — see front matter © 2010 Royal College of Nursing, Australia. Published by Elsevier Australia (a division of Reed International Books Australia Pty Ltd). All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.colegn.2010.07.002
152 The goals and aims of the ICNP® Disaster Nursing Research Program are to develop a national and international disaster nursing practice plan and catalogue, as a way for the ICN to set a foundation for practice in disaster nursing. The catalogue will be based on both the newly produced glossary of terms and the ICN framework of disaster nursing competencies (ICN, 2009). Hence the current work of this ICNP® Disaster Nursing Research Program to date has been to collate a comprehensive review of the terminology related to disaster nursing, which encompasses the many different aspects of disaster and emergency. The ever-increasing documentation related to climate change in government reports, scientific publications and other knowledgeable sources, have predicted more frequent and imminent disasters due to climatic change resulting from environmental and ecological factors. This will have a serious, if not devastating, impact on global health which will affect many people, estimated to be in the millions by 2100. This means that in the future there will be more reliance upon the health system and health teams, especially to help with rescue, response and relief efforts. Nurses will be relied upon far more and placed at the forefront when disasters occur. Health response to extreme weather events will be challenging and nurses need to be prepared and trained adequately if communities, nationally and internationally, are to manage effectively in the future. This translates into an urgent need for individuals, communities and society, to build personal and community resilience and capacity in order to mitigate the consequences of these extreme weather events; shown to be the best way to decrease vulnerability (Kjellstrom & Weaver, 2009). While the relative impact of climate change continues to be debated, it is clear that the impact of disaster on vulnerable communities is increasing, and preparations for the probable consequences of extreme events that threaten to disrupt societal functions essential to the safety and health of all, are of growing importance. Health protection, preparedness and enhancement of community resilience and capacity, must be at the forefront of such preparations.
Editorial
References Arbon, P., Browboski, C., Zeitz, K., Hooper, C., Williams, J., & Thitchener, J. (2006). Australian nurses volunteering for the Sumatra—Andaman earthquake and tsunami of 2004: A review of experience and analysis of data collected by the Tsunami Volunteer Hotline. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 39, 1—8. Capon, A. G., Synnott, E. S., & Holliday, S. (2009). Urbanism, climate change and health: System approaches to governance. NSW Public Health Bulletin, 20(1—2), 24—28. Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters [CRED]. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.cred.be/ ICN. (2008). Nurses, Climate Change and Health, Position Statement. Retrieved from. http://www.icn.ch/pscliamte.htm ICN. (2009). ICN Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies. Geneva, Switzerland: ICN and WHO (WPR). Kjellstrom, T., & Weaver, H. J. (2009). Climate change and health: Impacts, vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation. NSW Public Health Bulletin, 20(1—2), 5—9. Kolbe, A., & Gilchrist, K. L. (2009). An extreme bushfire smoke pollution event: Health impacts and public health challenges. NSW Public Health Bulletin, 20(1—2), 19—23. Usher, K. (2010). Are we ready? Preparing nurses to respond to disasters and emerging infectious diseases. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19, 1483—1484.
Lidia Mayner, BSc, BScHons, BN, Grad Cert Tert Ed, PhD, MRCNA ∗ School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia Paul Arbon, AM, BSc, DipEd, Grad Dip Health Ed, MEd (Studies), PhD (Sydney), RN, FRCNA, MAIES School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia ∗
Correspondence address: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Tel.: +61 8 8201 3377; fax: +61 8 8276 1602. E-mail address: lidia.mayner@flinders.edu.au (L. Mayner) 3 May 2010
available at www.sciencedirect.com
EDITORIAL
Climate change, health and the need to increase resilience and capacity Published reports warn of impending catastrophic consequences likely to result from climate change. These include major disruption to ecological systems affecting surface air temperatures, sea levels and seawater acidity. Should these predictions be correct, the impact on health will include direct heat exposure, extreme weather events, air pollution, reduced local food supply, food and vector-borne infectious disease, and mental stress (Kjellstrom & Weaver, 2009). It is further predicted that the impact of climate change on human society, especially health, will result in increased mortality, injuries, and greater susceptibility to disease worldwide. Disasters are now occurring more frequently and having greater impact globally (CRED, 2010). Few would dispute this claim given the recent events in Australia such as severe heat waves, devastating bushfires, and floods. These events challenged the surge capacity of the local and national health system. Health issues are thus a major concern of climate change as extreme weather events have the potential to significantly disrupt the normal functioning of the health care system. For example, in addition to the direct effects of the bushfires in Victoria in 2003, smoke blanketed northeastern Victoria and southern New South Wales for 38 days. A survey of residents conducted in the Albury local government area after the event reported that 70 percent of the participants who responded indicated experiencing at least one health effect resulting from the smoke and five percent reported seeking medical assistance because of symptoms directly related to the smoke (Kolbe & Gilchrist, 2009). Reports from sources such as Emergency Management Australia (EMA), the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and others have addressed issues such as catastrophic emergencies and disasters, population shifts and displaced populations, terrorism and conflict, and other outcomes associated with climate change. Consequently, in the 2009—2010 Budget, the Australian Government committed $2.75 billion for the Climate Change Action Fund, targeting assistance to business and communities in making the transi-
tion to a carbon constrained economy and energy efficiency. Further, $79.3 million has been allocated for emergency management and national security, strengthening efforts in preparedness for mitigating natural disasters generally and also for those communities that may be directly affected by disasters. When disasters occur, WHO, National Governments, and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) send teams of experts to inspect and assess the damage, both human and material, and recommend appropriate teams of health workers, including nurses, to be sent to the affected areas. While the level of nurses’ preparedness to work in disaster situations in general remains relatively unknown, concerns have been raised about nurses’ lack of preparation, awareness, and skills required (Arbon et al., 2006) to work effectively in these catastrophic situations. There have been a number of strategies implemented recently in recognition of the urgent need to enhance professional development and capacity across the health professions (Capon, Synnott, & Holliday, 2009). In relation to the preparedness of nurses, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently established the Asia Pacific Disaster and Emergency Nursing Network to enhance nurses’ awareness and preparedness for impending disasters (Usher, 2010). The International Council of Nursing (ICN) published a Position Statement (2008) alerting nurses to the many health consequences related to climate change and the importance of this to the nursing profession. In addition, they recently developed and released a set of Disaster Nursing Competencies (ICN, 2009). The Flinders University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, in recognition of the issue of climate change and the need for disaster preparedness, established the Flinders University Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health, and an ICN accredited International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP® ) Research Program for Disaster Nursing. The main aims of the Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health are to encourage, support, and expand research in disaster health and to build an evidence-based forum from which to inform the practice of disaster nursing.
1322-7696/$ — see front matter © 2010 Royal College of Nursing, Australia. Published by Elsevier Australia (a division of Reed International Books Australia Pty Ltd). All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.colegn.2010.07.002
152 The goals and aims of the ICNP® Disaster Nursing Research Program are to develop a national and international disaster nursing practice plan and catalogue, as a way for the ICN to set a foundation for practice in disaster nursing. The catalogue will be based on both the newly produced glossary of terms and the ICN framework of disaster nursing competencies (ICN, 2009). Hence the current work of this ICNP® Disaster Nursing Research Program to date has been to collate a comprehensive review of the terminology related to disaster nursing, which encompasses the many different aspects of disaster and emergency. The ever-increasing documentation related to climate change in government reports, scientific publications and other knowledgeable sources, have predicted more frequent and imminent disasters due to climatic change resulting from environmental and ecological factors. This will have a serious, if not devastating, impact on global health which will affect many people, estimated to be in the millions by 2100. This means that in the future there will be more reliance upon the health system and health teams, especially to help with rescue, response and relief efforts. Nurses will be relied upon far more and placed at the forefront when disasters occur. Health response to extreme weather events will be challenging and nurses need to be prepared and trained adequately if communities, nationally and internationally, are to manage effectively in the future. This translates into an urgent need for individuals, communities and society, to build personal and community resilience and capacity in order to mitigate the consequences of these extreme weather events; shown to be the best way to decrease vulnerability (Kjellstrom & Weaver, 2009). While the relative impact of climate change continues to be debated, it is clear that the impact of disaster on vulnerable communities is increasing, and preparations for the probable consequences of extreme events that threaten to disrupt societal functions essential to the safety and health of all, are of growing importance. Health protection, preparedness and enhancement of community resilience and capacity, must be at the forefront of such preparations.
Editorial
References Arbon, P., Browboski, C., Zeitz, K., Hooper, C., Williams, J., & Thitchener, J. (2006). Australian nurses volunteering for the Sumatra—Andaman earthquake and tsunami of 2004: A review of experience and analysis of data collected by the Tsunami Volunteer Hotline. Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal, 39, 1—8. Capon, A. G., Synnott, E. S., & Holliday, S. (2009). Urbanism, climate change and health: System approaches to governance. NSW Public Health Bulletin, 20(1—2), 24—28. Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters [CRED]. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.cred.be/ ICN. (2008). Nurses, Climate Change and Health, Position Statement. Retrieved from. http://www.icn.ch/pscliamte.htm ICN. (2009). ICN Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies. Geneva, Switzerland: ICN and WHO (WPR). Kjellstrom, T., & Weaver, H. J. (2009). Climate change and health: Impacts, vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation. NSW Public Health Bulletin, 20(1—2), 5—9. Kolbe, A., & Gilchrist, K. L. (2009). An extreme bushfire smoke pollution event: Health impacts and public health challenges. NSW Public Health Bulletin, 20(1—2), 19—23. Usher, K. (2010). Are we ready? Preparing nurses to respond to disasters and emerging infectious diseases. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19, 1483—1484.
Lidia Mayner, BSc, BScHons, BN, Grad Cert Tert Ed, PhD, MRCNA ∗ School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia Paul Arbon, AM, BSc, DipEd, Grad Dip Health Ed, MEd (Studies), PhD (Sydney), RN, FRCNA, MAIES School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University Research Centre for Disaster Resilience and Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia ∗
Correspondence address: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Tel.: +61 8 8201 3377; fax: +61 8 8276 1602. E-mail address: lidia.mayner@flinders.edu.au (L. Mayner) 3 May 2010