Field Epi Response to the Climate and Health Crisis

Field Epi Response to the Climate and Health Crisis logos
Field Epi Response to the Climate and Health Crisis

About

The World Health Organization has identified climate change as “the single biggest health threat facing humanity,” resulting in a myriad of adverse effects on human health and global health systems. As temperatures rise around the globe, the world is seeing an increase in climate-related events that result not only in infrastructure and environmental damage, but also outbreaks of communicable and noncommunicable diseases across immediate and long-term time-scales.

wildfire near power lines

These realities call for more health professionals trained in detecting and responding to climate-related health threats. TEPHINET, in partnership with the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), the UK Health Security Agency, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently formed a working group to improve training and awareness on climate and health for field epidemiologists to address this need. The TEPHINET Climate and Health Working Group aims to sensitize Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs), and FETP residents and graduates, to issues surrounding climate and health, increase awareness of available climate and health training and resources, and eventually integrate climate and health into the FETP curriculum and core competencies.

 

To learn more about the working group and this initiative, check out this video:

tephinet_climate_health_working_group_q_and_a_what_is_the_climate_and_health_working_group

 

The quarterly sessions will feature presentations from climate health experts, and FETP trainees and alumni who have worked on climate-related topics including heat related illness, hurricanes, floods, air pollution, and more.

Previous Sessions