Surviving a Changing Climate: A Case-Based Approach to Climate Medicine

2–3 credits · Undergraduate

This 10-week course addresses common health issues related to climate change, including those caused by heat, pollution, food and water insecurity, and vector borne illness. Outdoor workers across the globe, for example, are at risk for heat exhaustion, which can lead to hospitalization and added strain on the health care system. We will examine the immediate and long term health consequences of these issues, along with treatment options, prevention strategies, and public policies that do (or don't) protect outdoor worker safety, as well as innovations like solar assisted fan vests. Additional examples of climate-based health issues we'll explore, include tick borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, babesiosis and alpha-gal syndrome; extreme weather related trauma; asthma from wildfire smoke; dementia linked to air pollution; heat related complications of pregnancy and malnutrition caused by food and nutrient insecurity. Finally, we will examine the health care system's own role as a contributor to climate change.nnThis course emphasizes student participation and problem-solving, rather than lectures. Each 110-minute session will include a clinical case presentation, a background brief of the problem, an exploration of the relevant human biology, pathology and treatments, followed by a discussion of the broader implications for society, the economy, policy and future interventions. nnCritical analyses of systems, policies and medical care will be developed along with quantitative and research skills. This course does not require a background in science, medicine or health care but it will be helpful to have taken at least a high school level course in human biology. There will be assigned weekly readings and a final project to be presented to the class. These projects may take the form of a case presentation, a proposal for a research/field work project, a policy analysis, a legislative proposal or one of your own design per approval.