Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspective

Climate change phenomena, such as droughts, floods, heat waves, hurricanes, and wildfires, have a deleterious effect on nature and the health of the people, especially on vulnerable population cohorts, such as persons with disabilities (PwD). PwD are disproportionately affected by the health effects...

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Main Authors: Bhasker Amatya, MD, MPH, DMedSc, Fary Khan, AM, MBBS, MD, FAFRM (RACP)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Health - Lippincott Williams Wilkins 2023-03-01
Series:The Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/ph9.0000000000000003
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author Bhasker Amatya, MD, MPH, DMedSc
Fary Khan, AM, MBBS, MD, FAFRM (RACP)
author_facet Bhasker Amatya, MD, MPH, DMedSc
Fary Khan, AM, MBBS, MD, FAFRM (RACP)
author_sort Bhasker Amatya, MD, MPH, DMedSc
collection DOAJ
description Climate change phenomena, such as droughts, floods, heat waves, hurricanes, and wildfires, have a deleterious effect on nature and the health of the people, especially on vulnerable population cohorts, such as persons with disabilities (PwD). PwD are disproportionately affected by the health effects of climate change and experience a greater burden due to various physiological, socio-economic and health-related factors. Rehabilitation professionals as trusted care providers/educators have an integral role in global efforts to educate, advocate and protect vulnerable people from the adverse impact of climate change. They are in a distinctive position as they are experts in understanding the complex medical, physiological and psychosocial needs of PwD. Although the impact of climate change on health is widely documented, the literature on the effect of climatic factors on PwD is sparse. Further, specific rehabilitation and disability-inclusive climate action plans are yet to be developed and/or implemented globally. As the climate-change-related health burdens continue to grow the critical importance of rehabilitation services is apparent. The challenge ahead is to build a structured people-centered approach to building rehabilitation-inclusive climate-resilient health systems to improve the adaptive capacity and resilience of the most susceptible people with distinct healthcare needs.
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publishDate 2023-03-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Health - Lippincott Williams Wilkins
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series The Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
spelling doaj-art-8e23f898ac9c4be4a814e376d114f49c2024-11-20T05:50:36ZengWolters Kluwer Health - Lippincott Williams WilkinsThe Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine2589-94572023-03-01615910.1097/ph9.0000000000000003202303000-00002Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspectiveBhasker Amatya, MD, MPH, DMedSc0Fary Khan, AM, MBBS, MD, FAFRM (RACP)1 a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic., Australia a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Vic., AustraliaClimate change phenomena, such as droughts, floods, heat waves, hurricanes, and wildfires, have a deleterious effect on nature and the health of the people, especially on vulnerable population cohorts, such as persons with disabilities (PwD). PwD are disproportionately affected by the health effects of climate change and experience a greater burden due to various physiological, socio-economic and health-related factors. Rehabilitation professionals as trusted care providers/educators have an integral role in global efforts to educate, advocate and protect vulnerable people from the adverse impact of climate change. They are in a distinctive position as they are experts in understanding the complex medical, physiological and psychosocial needs of PwD. Although the impact of climate change on health is widely documented, the literature on the effect of climatic factors on PwD is sparse. Further, specific rehabilitation and disability-inclusive climate action plans are yet to be developed and/or implemented globally. As the climate-change-related health burdens continue to grow the critical importance of rehabilitation services is apparent. The challenge ahead is to build a structured people-centered approach to building rehabilitation-inclusive climate-resilient health systems to improve the adaptive capacity and resilience of the most susceptible people with distinct healthcare needs.http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/ph9.0000000000000003
spellingShingle Bhasker Amatya, MD, MPH, DMedSc
Fary Khan, AM, MBBS, MD, FAFRM (RACP)
Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspective
The Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
title Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspective
title_full Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspective
title_fullStr Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspective
title_full_unstemmed Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspective
title_short Climate change and disability: a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) perspective
title_sort climate change and disability a physical medicine and rehabilitation pm r perspective
url http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/ph9.0000000000000003
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