Engaging Communities to Assess the Health Effects of Extreme Weather in the Arctic

Abstract

The environmental effects of climate change are likely having negative impacts on the health of the 13.1 million residents of the circumpolar north. In this chapter, we describe an observational epidemiologic study that collected surveillance data on local environmental changes and associated health outcomes from residents of communities in Northwest, Interior, and Southeast Alaska. To assess the health effects of climate change in Alaska, two rounds of sentinel surveillance data were collected for 12 months, each on unusual weather conditions and the health outcomes associated with those conditions in three ecologically-distinct regions of the state. Qualitative data was also collected utilizing in-depth interviews and community meetings with community residents. We evaluated statistical associations between two exposures; unusual weather conditions and participant changes in travel as a result of unusual weather conditions, with a variety of health outcomes and health outcome mediators. Qualitative responses were analyzed to better understand these associations. We found significant associations between unusual weather conditions and cold-related morbidity and mortality in two rounds of surveillance data collection across the state. The nature and timing of such outcomes were seasonal in nature, and indicated health outcomes from the increasing prevalence of icy conditions in winter, and unusually warm and dry conditions in summer, in northwest and central regions of Alaska. Further, discussions of the surveillance data with local residents provided insights into prospective causal relationships between environmental events and the health outcomes described.