The Effects of Climate Change and Severe Weather on Epidemics of Asthma

Global extreme weather events are becoming more common and severe as a result of the Earth’s climate changing. These include heatwaves that shatter records on land and in the ocean, thunderstorms, torrential rains that cause flooding, protracted droughts, and fierce wildfires. As a result of burning fossil fuels, which function as a thermal blanket to trap heat and raise global temperatures, the main cause of this change is the increasing production of greenhouse gases. As a result, this intensifies severe weather occurrences by upsetting the water cycle, changing weather patterns, and accelerating land ice melting.

There is a strong correlation between the rise in severe weather events and health issues, specifically related to respiratory health. Studies have shown a direct correlation between severe weather events brought on by climate change and an increase in occurrences of asthma, which in turn causes an increase in hospitalizations, ER visits, death rates, and asthma exacerbations. In addition to describing strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change, the most recent assessment from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR6) in 2022 emphasizes the imminent danger that climate change presents to respiratory health, especially asthma.

Research indicates that some groups, including young people, women, and the elderly, are more susceptible to asthma flare-ups brought on by severe weather. A U- or J-shaped curve represents the association between temperature and asthma risk, meaning that exposure to air pollutants such as particulate matter and ozone, as well as airway inflammation, may both raise the risk of asthma attacks.

Temperature variations have a complicated relationship with asthma, a disorder that is impacted by both environmental conditions and individual susceptibilities.

Severe temperatures exacerbate asthma symptoms by weakening immunity, impairing lung function, and increasing susceptibility to allergens and respiratory infections. Effective asthma care thus becomes more important in light of climate change and harsh weather.