Future Implications

Inuit Community 

·         Climate is only one important factor that affects the growth of water borne diseases. “Other important considerations include socio-demographic influences such as human migration and transportation; and drug resistance and nutrition; as well as environmental influences such as deforestation; agricultural development; water projects; and urbanization. In this era of global development and land-use changes, it is highly unlikely that climatic changes exert an isolated effect on disease; rather the effect is likely dependent on the extent to which humans cope with or counter the trends of other disease modifying influences” (Patz, 2008). Global warming has been causing heavier rainfall and a faster rate of snow-melt, especially in the Arctic. Since arctic regions are home to more vulnerable ecosystems, Inuit communities have been reporting more cases of illness attributed to pathogens that have washed into surface and groundwater. These communities are experiencing the effects of increasing temperature more strongly than other areas in the world, perhaps because of an escalated rate of drinking from infected brook water. "These societies are like crystal balls for understanding what could happen when these changes start materializing over the next few decades down south, as they surely will" (James Ford, McGill University). No matter how useful they will prove to be in preparing for this climate change, there is a need "for strengthening public health infrastructure related to disease surveillance, good and water safety, control of insect vectors and animal reservoirs of disease, and public health outbreak response" (Greer et al., 2008) “The best defense against increases in infectious disease burden related to climate change lies in strengthening existing public health infrastructure. Physicians, as opinion leaders, can also influence public policy related to greenhouse gas emissions” (Greer et al., 2008) Improvements in public health infrastructure “include public health training, emergency response, and prevention and control programs. Improved understanding is needed of the adaptive capacity of individuals affected by health outcomes of climate change, as well as the capacity for populations to prepare a response to projected health outcomes of climate change. Ultimately, better assessment of water quality and risk to the drinking water system from the watershed to the tap, as well as recreational water exposures, will allow for better prevention and controls to limit the impact of contamination events” (Patz, 2008).