Tuesday, October 2, 2012

How Drought Affects Your Health

Since mid-July, 15 Northwestern Pennsylvania counties were placed under a “drought watch.” A drought watch is the least severe of the state’s three drought classifications (watch, warning, and emergency). Such a notice calls for a voluntary five percent reduction in nonessential water usage such as watering lawns, and puts businesses who are large consumers of water on alert to plan for reduced water supplies.

While Crawford County is among those under a drought watch, far more counties and entire states further west of Pennsylvania are in a drought emergency. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, almost all of the mid-west is suffering under drought emergencies. Although the entire country may not be under a drought emergency, the whole nation will be affected by the public health implications of a lack of water.

 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly every aspect of humanity could potentially feel negative effects of a drought from diminished living conditions to lower air quality as well as increased infectious diseases.

Much of our nation’s energy supply relies on water as a key resource. The CDC notes that 100 million gallons of water are used daily to generate electricity for homes, businesses and industries. Hydropower production is sensitive to total runoff. In the 1990s, the Great Lakes levels fell as a result of a lengthy drought, and the CDC notes that in 1999, hydropower production was reduced at both Niagara in New York and Sault St. Marie in Michigan. If the drought situation continues, we may see yet another reduction of hydropower production in the coming months.

Water shortages in such conditions have a significantly negative impact on the health and well-being of the entire population, but in particularly vulnerable populations such as those in nursing homes, hospitals and those living with electrical equipment (e.g. oxygen, air purifiers) for survival. In addition, lower electricity can lead to malfunctioning heating and ventilation systems. Poorly ventilated homes and businesses can result in increased viral and bacterial diseases, including the common cold, influenza and legionnaire’s disease. Furthermore, poor air quality can lead to the increased risk for acute respiratory infections such as bronchitis and bacterial pneumonia.

Of course, the obvious health impact is the lower amount of water for consumption. This is especially problematic for hospitals which require significant amounts of water to maintain patient health. But, the availability of water for cleaning, sanitation and personal hygiene is also a strong consideration under drought conditions. The CDC has discovered that people may feel the need to conserve water in ways that can increase health risks such as reducing or eliminating hand washing, failing to wash fruits and vegetables or reducing the amount of cleaning in bathrooms or kitchen areas that can grow bacteria quickly.

Lastly, the financial implications of drought will be felt world-wide. A lack of rainfall will damage and destroy a considerable amount of crops. This event has already occurred in our nation’s mid section. Besides the farmers and other agriculture-related professionals who rely on the income for their livelihood, we all purchase food products. The lower supply will increase the cost of food. We have already seen reports that indicate food prices will rise this fall. In addition, financial-related stress and worry can lead to depression, anxiety, and many other mental and behavioral health issues. The CDC has found that these stressors often lead to suicide, particularly among those living in rural areas that have fewer opportunities for mental health care or feel there is no other option. Thus, drought conditions have shown a significant increase in mental and behavioral health care.

There are ways to prevent the drought from significantly affecting your health.

1.       Install a low-flow faucet aerator in your home or business.
2.       Use energy efficient furnaces/air conditioners.
3.       Use hand sanitizers if water is not readily available.
4.       Conserve water indoors by checking for water leaks around your house.
5.       Surround yourself with a support system who can provide mental health support when you need it.
6.       Maintain your health by eating healthy and exercising regularly – this will help fight off potential airborne diseases.



References

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. (2012). DEP declares drought watch for Western Pennsylvania counties. Retrieved from http://files.dep.state.pa.us/Water/Watershed%20Management/WatershedPortalFiles/Drought/rls-DEP-DroughtWarning7-19-2012.pdf.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). When every drop counts. Protecting the public during drought conditions. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/Docs/When_Every_Drop_Counts.pdf.

U.S. Drought Monitor. (2012). Current U.S. drought monitor. Updated Augusts 21, 2012. Retrieved from http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.


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