Climate change – Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies

December 9, 2020

Synthesizing hope: How to mitigate health disparities after natural disaster strikes

Researchers affiliated with the RISK study have published a study in the journal Health Affairs that summarizes the findings of the 15-year study that followed low-income parents who survived Hurricane Katrina. The lessons learned inform these key priorities: Prevention (improve climate resilience and evacuation planning); uninterrupted health care; less administrative work for survivors; strong community ties; and long-term services for those highly affected. “Our findings can guide policy makers, service…

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April 22, 2020

In honor of Earth Day, a review of the last decade of social science research on the effects of disasters

Three researchers affiliated with the Harvard Pop Center—Mariana Arcaya, Ethan J. Raker, and Mary C. Waters—have published a review in the Annual Review of Sociology that concludes with their concerns about the likelihood of more severe natural disasters due to climate change in the future, and the need for innovative concepts and methods to cope with these environmental and societal challenges. Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on Flickr

January 24, 2020

Focusing on the link between democratic governance, climate change, and health inequities

Men and women of different ethnicities with signs at a climate change rally

Faculty member Nancy Krieger, PhD, has shared her viewpoint in this piece published in the Journal of Public Health Policy that calls for those in the public health and medical field, in particular, to take practical action steps to better integrate the realms of democratic governance, climate change, and health inequities. She outlines actionable steps, along with information-rich resources, in a table. Photo: Alisdare Hickson on Flickr

May 28, 2019

U.S. “Silver Tsunami” negatively impacting (and suffering from) climate change

A study finds that aging Americans (a growing population) consume more energy. Learn more about the research findings of Harvard Pop Center faculty member Hossein Estiri and his colleague Emilio Zagheni in The New York Times, the New Scientist, and Irishhealth.com, and The Harvard Gazette.

June 21, 2016

Increase in asthma symptoms linked to wildfire smoke, fine particulate matter air pollution

Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholar Colleen Reid, PhD, is lead author on a study published in Environmental Research that contributes to the growing body of knowledge of health risks associated with wildfire smoke. Photo: Cameron Strandberg, Fitzhugh Newspaper. Jasper, Alberta

April 22, 2016

Wildfire smoke consistently linked to respiratory health effects, growing evidence of link to mortality

Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholar Colleen Reid, PhD, is lead author on a study in Environmental Health Perspectives that reviews a range of scientific studies on health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke, and seeks to identify particularly susceptible populations. Photo: Cameron Strandberg, Fitzhugh Newspaper. Jasper, Alberta

November 18, 2015

Could temperature deviation from past neighboring years increase mortality risk for elderly?

Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholar Colleen Reid, PhD is an author on a paper published in International Journal of Biometeorology that examines the effects of abnormal weather patterns (temperature deviation compared to previous years) on elderly mortality.