Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA.
Department of Geology and Geography, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA.
Glob Public Health. 2022 Jul;17(7):1406-1419. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1924824. Epub 2021 Jun 1.
The Nepali population is among those most vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. We conducted a systematic literature review to document the health effects of climate change in Nepal and identify knowledge gaps by examining vulnerability categories related to health. Three databases were searched for journal articles that addressed health and vulnerability related to climate change in Nepal from 2010 onwards. Of the 1063 articles identified, 37 were eligible for inclusion. The findings suggested the health of the population was affected mostly by food insecurity, floods, droughts, and reduced water levels. Studies revealed both morbidity and mortality increased due to climate change, with the most impacted populations being women, children, and the elderly. At greatest risk for impacts from climate change were those from poor and marginal populations, especially impoverished women. The public health sector, healthcare, and potable water sources were some of the least mentioned vulnerability subcategories, indicating more research is needed to better understand their adaptation capacities. We propose that identifying vulnerabilities and areas of limited research are critical steps in the prioritization of health policy and interventions for the most vulnerable populations in Nepal.
尼泊尔人口是最容易受到气候变化对健康影响的人群之一。我们进行了系统的文献综述，以记录气候变化对尼泊尔健康的影响，并通过检查与健康相关的脆弱性类别来确定知识空白。从 2010 年起，我们在三个数据库中搜索了探讨尼泊尔与气候变化相关的健康和脆弱性问题的期刊文章。在确定的 1063 篇文章中，有 37 篇符合入选标准。研究结果表明，人口的健康主要受到粮食不安全、洪水、干旱和水位下降的影响。研究表明，由于气候变化，发病率和死亡率都有所增加，受影响最大的人群是妇女、儿童和老年人。受气候变化影响最大的是贫困和边缘人口，尤其是贫困妇女。公共卫生部门、医疗保健和饮用水源是脆弱性亚类别中提及最少的类别之一，这表明需要进一步研究以更好地了解它们的适应能力。我们建议，确定脆弱性和研究有限的领域是尼泊尔最脆弱人群的健康政策和干预措施优先化的关键步骤。
