Climate Change in Western Australia and Its Impact on Human Health

Climate change is real and here. Climate change has a wide range of effects on the environment – increasing global temperatures and extreme weather events, which in turn are impacting human health. Changes in weather and man-made pollution affect the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat, resulting in a serious threat to our planet and our health. By examining the current literature, using a systematic review process, we explore the current and potential impact that climate change has on human health with particular relevance to the Western Australian population. There is overwhelming evidence for climate change and how it is affecting the people of planet Earth. The environmental impact will affect human health and may result in increases in cardiovascular respiratory, neurological disorders (including neurodegeneration), vector-borne illnesses (malaria, COVID-19, Ross River Virus) and lead to a detriment in the mental health of Western Australians. Natural diseases and crises complicate healthcare. The COVD-19 pandemic revealed inadequacies in healthcare systems—shortage of healthcare workers and resources—which will compromise the ability to manage climate change induced diseases. Bushfires and raised environmental temperatures, which are particular problems for Western Australia, can impact upon climate change. Mental health may be affected through illness, drought and food insecurity. Those socially disadvantaged, individuals in remote regions and First Nations peoples will be vulnerable. An urgent response to climate change is necessary. Western Australia is particularly vulnerable to the deleterious impacts of climate change.

The impact of COVID-19 on community neurology patients

Background People with neurological disorders are at an increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection and consequent mortality.1-4 Furthermore, patients with COVID-19 infection may develop severe neurological problems.5,6 We propose that community dwelling patients with neurological disorders and disability may succumb to the effects of the pandemic interventions such as social distancing and isolation - which are essential strategies to contain the spread of COVID-19.7 There is little data on the impact of COVID-19 on community neurology patients in the absence of direct infection with the virus.8,9 To our knowledge this is the first study on the impact of COVID-19 on community neurology patients in Australia who do not have COVID-19. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: (i) Section A consisted of demography and diagnostics. (ii) Section B six questions relating to life, relationships and both physical and mental health. (iii) Section C five questions regarding accessibility to goods and services. (iv) Section D allowed participants to comment on overall impact and areas of unmet needs from the pandemic (see appendix A). COVID-19 impact on daily life and family relationships had a substantial proportion of respondents scoring 4-6, representing some impact (30.1 per cent and 26.0 per cent, respectively) - whilst the other categories of partner and/or carers, employment and medical condition were reported to have some impact (score 4-6) in less than 20 per cent of respondents for all categories (16.9 per cent, 10.2 per cent and 12.4 per cent, respectively). [...]these three categories-partner and/or carers, employment and medical condition-had a larger proportion of respondents reporting no impact (43.2 per cent;63.6 per cent, and 62.4 per cent, respectively);whilst only 19.3 per cent of respondents reported no impact on daily life and 26.9 per cent on family relationships.