Using Wearable Technology to Assess the Health and Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change

Background and Purpose:

Climate change has been linked with changes in human health including heat-related illnesses, cardiovascular disease, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, insect borne diseases, and changes in food sources and water safety. In addition, climate change is linked with large-scale weather-related events which results in injury, death, and psychological trauma. Moreover, climate change disproportionally impacts communities of color, low-income communities, and vulnerable sectors of society such as children and older adults, widening existing disparities. While the health and mental health impacts of climate change are noted in the literature, few scalable approaches to assessing and triaging the impacts of climate change on health and mental health exist, particularly in emergency situations.

Methodology:

This presentation proposes the use of technology as an approach to rapidly scale assessment and triage protocols to address the impact of climate change and climate related disasters by pairing wearable technology, including wrist-worn sensors, with phone applications and other Mhealth platforms. This presentation also highlights the utility of technology to reach underserved and underrepresented communities working towards improved health equity.

Results:

This presentation will provide participants with an overview of the functionality of wearable devices, provide examples of the study protocols and data management plans, and address challenges to using wearable devices to screen, triage, and treat health and mental health conditions in populations impacted by climate change and climate related disasters, with a specific emphasis on the use of technology in diverse, rural, and international communities. Lastly, this presentation will highlight the unique opportunity to use technology to enhance health equity in diverse and underserved communities by increasing access to health and mental health care.

Conclusion and Implications:

Climate change and climate related disasters impact millions of lives around the world, including an estimated 13 million worldwide who die every year because of climate change and climate related disasters. The extensive impact has increased the need to develop and implement wide reaching, scalable, and rapid methods for the assessment, triage, and treatment of the health and mental health impacts of climate change on diverse communities. Upon the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to (1) describe the impact of climate change on human health and mental health; (2) design assessment and triage protocols to deploy wearable technology as a tool to address climate change and promote health equity; and (3) evaluate the challenge and benefits to using technology in diverse and underserved communities most directly impacted by climate change and climate related disasters.