1. The association between climatic factors and waterborne infectious outbreaks with a focus on vulnerability in Pakistan: integrative review.
- Author
-
Sharif, Faiza, Shahzad, Laila, and Batool, Masooma
- Subjects
- *
COMMUNICABLE diseases , *DIARRHEA , *HEPATITIS E , *HEALTH literacy , *HEALTH services accessibility , *AIR pollution , *ENVIRONMENTAL health , *GREY literature , *MALNUTRITION , *CLIMATE change , *MALARIA , *HEPATITIS A , *AQUATIC microbiology , *SYSTEMATIC reviews , *MEDLINE , *EPIDEMICS , *WATER pollution , *ONLINE information services , *PSYCHOLOGICAL vulnerability , *POVERTY - Abstract
Climate change affects the spread of waterborne infectious diseases, yet research on vulnerability to outbreaks remains limited. This integrative review examines how climate variables (temperature and precipitation) relate to human vulnerability factors in Pakistan. By 2060, mean temperatures are projected to rise from 21.68°C (2021) to 30°C, with relatively stable precipitation. The epidemiological investigation in Pakistan identified Diarrhea (119,000 cases/year), Malaria (2.6 million cases/year), and Hepatitis (A and E) as the most prevalent infections. This research highlighted vulnerability factors, including poverty (52% of the population), illiteracy (59% of the population), limited healthcare accessibility (55% of the population), malnutrition (38% of the population), dietary challenges (48% of the population), as well as exposure to water pollution (80% of the population) and air pollution (55% of the population). The findings suggest that the coordinated strategies are vital across health, environmental, meteorological, and social sectors, considering climatic variability patterns and population vulnerability determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF