HSEM2241H

Climate Change and Diseases aims to help students understand the basic concepts of climate change and its impact on health. The course will explore the causes and trend, and organismal and ecosystem responses, to climate change and extreme weather, identify the links between climate change and various diseases, and evaluate the challenges and vulnerabilities of different populations to climate-induced health problems. The course will specifically examine a series of topics to demonstrate the impact of the climate change on environment, disease vectors, zoonotic diseases, and their increasing risks for novel emerging epidemics or pandemics. Emphasis will also be placed to assess how the changed climate may have profound impact on food security and nutrition-related illnesses, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, mental health, aging, and management of the chronic illnesses that have been critical for global health governance of the modern society. The course will encourage students to contemplate the challenging topics, explore public health strategies to mitigate the negative impact, and prepare students to develop skills for raising public awareness and promoting policy advocacy in building a resilient health system.

000571