Your Health and a Changing Climate: Newsletter - Volume 1

Impacts and Adaptation Research : Ongoing Research

Assessment 2006

The Climate Change and Health Office at Health Canada has launched the Canadian Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Assessment 2006, which will be a key component of the 2006 National Climate Change Impact Assessment led by Natural Resources Canada. Regular national assessments are part of the Government of Canada's international obligations to report on impacts and adaptation efforts. Launched in June 2003, this national project on health impacts is guided by a Steering Committee of experts with representation from governments, academia, and non-governmental organizations including those in the public health sector. It will allow leading experts across Canada to contribute to a better understanding of how vulnerable Canadians are to climate change. As one part of this assessment, an Expert Advisory Group of academics, non-governmental organizations and government representatives met on November 27-28, 2003 to discuss how best to gauge the capacity of Canadians and their institutions, particularly the public health sector, to adapt to risks associated with climate change and climate variability. CCHO will continue to work with interested researchers and decision makers to complete the Health Assessment 2006 and to make it a useful tool for informing our response to the expected health impacts of climate change in communities across Canada.

>>>For more information, contact: peter_berry@hc-sc.gc.ca

Impacts of Global Climate Change on the Incidence of Water-borne Diseases in Canada

Led by Dr. David Waltner Toews at the University of Guelph and funded by the Health Policy Research Program at Health Canada, this project addresses two issues important to the health of Canadians: the risk of water-borne illnesses and the health impacts of climate change. The Canadian burden from water-borne illnesses is unknown, though it presumably accounts for a significant proportion of intestinal problems. Recently, large outbreaks with severe consequences caused by E. coli O157:H7 and Cryptosporidium have alarmed Canadians and brought demands for political action. There is also an urgent need to understand the health impacts of climate change, to develop strategies to prevent or be prepared for its effects.

The research project is investigating the incidence of water-borne illnesses in Canada, describing the complex systemic inter-relationships between disease incidence, weather parameters, and water quality and quantity, and projecting the potential impact of global climate change on those relationships.

The study unites several disciplines (climatologists, epidemiologists, microbiologists, hydrologists, and water quality specialists), involves direct participation from universities, Health Canada and Environment Canada, and will communicate with other federal and provincial agencies, First Nations, and the water industry in an interdisciplinary policy-oriented approach. The project is expected to be completed in 2005.

>>> For more information, visit: www.eccho.ca

A Multi-Centre Approach to Investigating the Health Impacts of Extreme Weather Events Related to Climate Change and Climate Variability

Dr. Yang Mao, Health Canada, is the principal investigator in this study, funded by the CCAF. In order to assess the effects of climate change on the health of a population, it is necessary to understand the relationship between health and climate under current and past conditions. It is important to identify and quantify the health effects associated with climate and how these effects may vary by region or by population. Using and evaluating the administrative health databases in different centres across Canada and linking them to climate conditions over an approximate 10 year period, will provide new knowledge regarding the vulnerability of certain populations and/or regions.

This information can then be used for more accurate assessments of the health implications of climate variability and climate change and population health in Canada, and to provide policy and decision-makers with a scientific basis for preventive and adaptation measures needed.

>>> For more information, contact: yang_mao@hc-sc.gc.ca

Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events and Health Effects in Alberta

Led by Dr. Colin Soskolne, University of Alberta, and funded by the Health Policy Research Program at Health Canada, the overall objective of this research is to investigate historical responses, at the local level, to extreme weather events and disasters in Alberta as documented in community newspapers. By examining how people responded and adapted to such events in the past, future policy could be better informed. Better-informed policy should minimize impacts that future extreme weather events could have on the health and well-being of those populations affected by extreme weather. Four specific objectives will be met through the course of this two-year study:

1. Provide the equivalent of a hazard assessment by identifying past extreme weather events and disasters in Alberta (from meteorological data and a disaster database), and relate them to print media reports as far back as 100 years ago;
   
   
2. Identify the possible consequences of extreme weather events resulting from climate change on morbidity, mental health, injuries, death, and infrastructure/property loss in Alberta;
   
   
3. Correlate the data from two existing databases (i.e., Emergency Preparedness Canada (EPC) and Environment Canada (EC) data with print media reports; and
   
   
4. Suggest how the combining of weather and health data could be integrated to advance Health Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy.

To date, the project has identified extreme weather events over the past 100 years through meteorological data and the Canadian Disaster Database, and developed a content analysis framework and applied it to several thousand computerized newspaper reports extracted through extensive library archive research. Analysis is underway and expected to be completed by 2004.

>>> For more information visit:
http://www.phs.ualberta.ca/climatechange/index.html

Air Quality, Health and Emissions Growth in the New Economy

Dr. Ross McKitrick, University of Guelph, has received funding from the Initiative on the New Economy, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, to study how economic changes and technological change affect Toronto air quality, and what this can teach us about the environmental future of growing cities.

With increasing urbanization and growth of large cities, it is necessary to settle controversial questions about whether city air is a serious health hazard. Much of the work on this topic has been done in the epidemiological and medical fields. There is room for a contribution from an econometric perspective, where aspects of long-run causality can be modeled using the methods of time series analysis, integrating economic indicators directly. Dr. McKitrick is working with an economics graduate student as well as colleagues at Statistics Canada and the Canadian Institute of Health Information to develop a national data base showing monthly air pollution levels, hospital admissions for lung-related complaints (by age group), and other socio-economic covariates including local smoking rates, economic activity, and income levels. The data cover 13 cities from 1973 to 1998 and will allow the researchers to directly test hypotheses connecting lung-related morbidity and mortality following increased air pollution episodes. The project is also looking at global carbon dioxide emission forecasts.

>>> For more information, contact: rmckitri@uoguelph.ca

Heat Related Effects on Chronically Ill Patients in Montreal

Led by Dr. Tom Kosatsky, and funded by the CCAF, this 2 1/2 year project involves a collaboration between the Montreal Public Health Department, the Nursing School of the Université de Montréal, and two McGill University Health Centre clinics. Its' aim is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of Montrealers with chronic lung and heart conditions faced with hot, polluted or both, summer days. The pilot phase was implemented during the summer of 2003, recruiting over 50 patients at the McGill University clinics. Through individual interviews, focus groups, and consultations with experts, a bilingual questionaire was developed that assesses whether and why patients have and use air conditioning, drink extra water, reduce activities, and/or institute other protective measures during heat waves. This data is currently under analysis and is being used to improve the questionnaire for implementation in the full study during the summer of 2004.

>>> For more information, contact: tkosatsk@santepub-mtl.qc.ca

Impacts of Climate Change on the Spread of Lyme Disease in Canada:

Dr. Dominique Charron, Health Canada, co-ordinator of the Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases Research Network and Chris O'Callaghan of Queen's University are the principal investigators on this research funded by the CCAF. Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonotic bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. The disease is rare in Canada, but can occur where populations of infected ticks are endemic (parts of southern Ontario and coastal and central British Columbia) with sporadic cases reported across the country. Most infections in people result from exposure to ticks during recreation or occupational activities where infected ticks are endemic. The initial symptoms of Lyme disease are mild but may progress to a more serious systemic illness, which in turn may, if untreated, become chronic. As climate and land use change, the disease may pose a greater threat to Canadian public health in future. The goal of the project is to determine the role of climate in Lyme disease distribution and ecology in Canada, the potential impact of climate change, and to assess the Canadian response capacity to impacts of climate change on Lyme disease.

Within the four and a half months since the project's inception, the following have been achieved:

Objective 1 -- Search of Canadian data/literature, overview of current (known) tick distributions and examine associations with climate. Data on the occurrence of Ixodes scapularis ticks in Canada east of the Rockies have been collated from a number of sources and mapped using Arc View.

Objective 2 -- Development of dynamic transmission models of Borrelia burgdorferi linked to climate parameters. It was originally proposed that the project would develop a Lyme (B. burgdorferi) transmission model based on an existing population model of the tick vector I. scapularis. This model has proven impractical for the project purposes. The researcher has found that existing (but as yet unpublished) data on the effects of temperature on tick development times in the laboratory allow reasonable prediction of tick development in the field. These data have been incorporated in a deterministic model of I. scapularis populations, developed de novo, to investigate the effects of climate temperature on the survival of I. scapularis populations. It is hoped this form of model outcome will be appropriate to investigate effects of climate change on the potential suitable geographic range of I. scapularis. A more complex model that does account for seasonality (that will also be used to model the occurrence of endemic cycles of Lyme disease) has been developed and is being tested. It is anticipated that a paper detailing the effects of temperature on I. scapularis development will be ready for publication in early 2004, and a paper outlining the model and initial investigations of effects on I. scapularis mortality rates will follow shortly after.

>>> For more information, visit: www.eccho.ca

Impact of Climate Change on Food Security in Three Northern Aboriginal Communities -- Plans for Adaptation

Led by Dr. Laurie Chan, McGill University and Dr. Christopher Furgal, Laval University, and funded by the CCAF, this project plans to investigate the potential health impacts of climate change on three northern aboriginal communities; one coastal (marine mammal based diet) and two taiga (terrestrial mammal and fish based diet) and to develop strategies for adaptation to minimize potential impacts. A comprehensive resources management scheme is being developed with the communities that will integrate local and traditional ecological knowledge, wildlife biology, information on toxicology of environmental contaminants, food composition and nutrient requirement, food availability and the effects of environmental changes, cultural and socio-economic factors. The participatory nature of the research will ensure northerners' involvement and/or training in all stages of research projects, including the initiation, planning, implementation, and communication of results. The goal of the study is to help communities and health professionals characterize the specific nutrient and contaminant related impacts resulting from changes in country food availability related to climatic changes. Appropriate adaptation strategies will be cooperatively developed in the three communities. Education and communication initiatives are also planned to assist individuals in making their own informed decisions on food choice. A comprehensive resource management paradigm that will assist in planning for aspects of food security will be developed. This management paradigm will be of value for environmental and health planning exercises throughout the Canadian North in the face of climate related changes.

>>> For more information, contact: chan@macdonald.mcgill.ca

Air Pollution Related Mortality

Led by Dr. Monica Campbell, this research, funded by the Health Policy Research Program at Health Canada, will investigate the synergistic impacts that weather and air pollution have on human mortality for selected locations in south-central Canada. The specific objectives are: (1) to determine impacts on mortality rates due to heat waves, cold spells, snow and ice storms from current and changed weather patterns by comparing mortalities; (2) to investigate the synergistic impacts of outdoor air quality and natural pollutants on excess mortalities in both summer and winter; (3) to estimate climate change related trends in severe weather event risks and recommend health and emergency adaptation policies to protect populations; and (4) to use study results to assess modifications to a Heat-Health Alter/Emergency system that is currently being piloted in Toronto and could be considered for other Canadian cities.

The outcomes from this research are expected to improve the understanding of environmental health problems in south-central Canada by investigating the factors triggering excess mortality and to assist in developing better policies on health protection.

>>> For more information, contact: mcampbe2@toronto.ca

Impact of Climate Change on Toxic Phytoplankton Blooms and Shellfish Toxicity

Led by Dr. Maurice Levasseur, Laval University, and funded by CCAF, this project is determining the role of climate on the development and intensity of toxic algal blooms, through the analysis of 10 years of hydrological, biological and meteorological data. Researchers have found that the development of blooms was favoured by high run-off from local tributary rivers, combined with prolonged periods of low winds, while more intense algal outbreaks were associated with extreme climate events, such as heavy rainfall. If conditions such as these become more common in the future, we can expect to see an increase in the onset and proliferation of toxic algal blooms in eastern Canada.

>>> For more information, contact: maurice.levasseur@bio.ulaval.ca

Defining a Research Agenda for Indoor Moulds

On November 24-25, members of the Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health Research Network participated in a workshop entitled "The Science and Technology of Mould in the Indoor Environment", organized by the Healthy Indoor Partnership (HIP), to define a new research agenda for indoor moulds. Network members assisted with the organization of this meeting and attended with the objective of encouraging participants to develop research agenda using a climate change lens.

>>> For more information, contact: barb.mackinnon@nb.lung.ca

ArcticNet

ArcticNet is a new Canadian Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE). Over the next four years, the Government of Canada will invest $25.7 million in ArcticNet to look at the scientific challenges resulting from Arctic warming using a cross-sectoral approach involving researchers from 41 Canadian and foreign universities.

Dr. Pierre Gosselin, coordinator of C-CIARN Health's Population Vulnerabilities Research Network (visit: www.chuq.qc.ca/oms/cc) and several of his Network members will be conducting research for ArcticNet.

This NCE will build synergy among existing Arctic Centres of excellence in the natural, medical and social sciences. The central objective of the Network is to translate our growing understanding of the changing Arctic into impact assessments, national policies and adaptation strategies. Over the next four years, ArcticNet will conduct Integrated Regional Impact Studies (IRIS) of the East-West environmental and societal gradient of the coastal marine Canadian High Arctic; the North-South gradient of terrestrial ecosystems in the Eastern Arctic; and the land-ocean interaction zone in Hudson Bay. Each of these IRIS will contribute the knowledge needed to formulate policies and adaptation strategies for the Canadian coastal Arctic (Theme 4), that address the following concerns of users: the rate of change of the Arctic environment; reducing human vulnerability to hazardous events; adapting the public health system to change; protecting key animal species; maritime transport in an ice-free Canadian Arctic; and the economic impacts of environmental change in the Arctic. Dr. Gordon McBean, scientific advisor for C-CIARN Health's Extreme Weather Events Research Network, is the project leader for Theme 4 which will formulate policies and adaptation strategies for the Canadian coastal Arctic.

>>> For more information, visit:
www.cases.quebec-ocean.ulaval.ca/arcticnet/accueil.asp

CIHR -- New Emerging Team (NET) in Rural and Northern Health Research

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research have announced a cross-cutting strategic initiative in Rural Health Research & Northern Health Research. Future climate change is likely to be rapid in comparison to past changes, and its impact is predicted to be greatest in the North. Scientific knowledge is needed to understand and predict the effects of climate change on the physical and biological environment, ecosystems, and the human population of the North. Despite the benefits of living in small communities, research comparing urban to rural and northern communities indicates that a gap in health status exists. A need exists to investigate the complex interplay of factors that lead to increased morbidity and mortality and to translate the new knowledge to improve the health of all rural and northern Canadians.

Dr. Pierre Gosselin and members of C-CIARN Health's Population Vulnerabilities Research Network have submitted a letter of intent for this funding. Their project, if accepted, would focus on the development and measurement of a set of reliable, easily applied distress indices of the health of coastal communities and research to better understand impacts of environmental degradation in coastal areas and their relationships to human health. This proposed research program would be implemented in remote coastal areas where environmental health information and scientific infrastructure is currently lacking.

>>> For more information, contact: pierre-l.gosselin@crchul.ulaval.ca