Towards resilient health systems for increasing climate extremes: insights from the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season
Aparna Lal A D , Mahomed Patel A , Arnagretta Hunter B and Christine Phillips C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, 62 Mills Road, Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia.
B ANU Commission for Human Futures Fellow, Medical School, College of Health and Medicine, 54 Mills Road, Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia.
C Social Foundations of Medicine, Medical School, College of Health and Medicine, 54 Mills Road, Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: aparna.lal@anu.edu.au
International Journal of Wildland Fire 30(1) 1-5 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20083
Submitted: 5 June 2020 Accepted: 19 September 2020 Published: 16 October 2020
Journal Compilation © IAWF 2021 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
The public health emergency associated with the 2019–20 bushfires in Australia was a wake-up call to increase the resilience of our health systems to respond to climate extremes. We must combine our understanding of predictions of extreme weather events with our knowledge on emergency preparedness and response to protect the health of citizens.
Keywords: Australia, bushfire, drought, emergency preparedness, extreme climates, healthcare, health systems, wildfire.
References
ACT Health (2019). ‘Air quality in the ACT.’ Available at https://www.health.act.gov.au/about-our-health-system/population-health/environmental-monitoring/monitoring-and-regulating-air [Verified 1 August 2020]Austin EK, Handley T, Kiem AS, Rich JL, Lewin TJ, Askland HH, Askarimarnani SS, Perkins DA, Kelly BJ (2018) Drought‐related stress among farmers: findings from the Australian Rural Mental Health Study. Medical Journal of Australia 209, 159–165.
| Drought‐related stress among farmers: findings from the Australian Rural Mental Health Study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30041594PubMed |
Australian Digital Health Agency (2020) Increased use of My Health Record by healthcare providers. Media release 28 January 2020. Available at https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/news-and-events/news/media-release-increased-use-of-my-health-record-by-healthcare-providers [Verified 1 August 2020]
Boer MM, Resco de Dias V, Bradstock RA (2020) Unprecedented burn area of Australia’s mega forest fires. Nature Climate Change 10, 171–172.
| Unprecedented burn area of Australia’s mega forest fires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Borchers Arriagada N, Palmer AJ, Bowman DMJS, Morgan GG, Jalaludin BB, Johnston FH (2020) Unprecedented smoke-related health burden associated with the 2019–20 bushfires in eastern Australia. Medical Journal of Australia 213, 282–283.
| Unprecedented smoke-related health burden associated with the 2019–20 bushfires in eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32162689PubMed |
Brooker C (2020) Review bushfire response: A nation in flames. The Australian Journal of Pharmacy 101, 20–22.
Bryant RA, Gibbs L, Gallagher HC, Pattison P, Lusher D, MacDougall C, Harms L, Block K, Sinnott V, Ireton G, Richardson J, Forbes D (2018) Longitudinal study of changing psychological outcomes following the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 52, 542–551.
| Longitudinal study of changing psychological outcomes following the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28605987PubMed |
Burns P, Manderson K (2020) ‘Building GP capacity in times of disaster.’ MJA Insight 29 January 2020. Available at https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2020/3/building-gp-capacity-in-times-of-disaster/ [Verified 1 August 2020]
Coates L, Haynes K, O’Brien J, McAneney J, De Oliveira FD (2014) Exploring 167 years of vulnerability: an examination of extreme heat events in Australia 1844–2010. Environmental Science & Policy 42, 33–44.
| Exploring 167 years of vulnerability: an examination of extreme heat events in Australia 1844–2010.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Community Impact Group (2020) ‘South Eastern NSW bushfire crisis: impact, response and recovery.’ Submission to the Senate Inquiry: Lessons to be learned in relation to the Australian bushfire season 2019–20. 20 May 2020. (Parliament of Australia: Canberra)
Diffenbaugh NS (2020) Verification of extreme event attribution: using out-of-sample observations to assess changes in probabilities of unprecedented events. Science Advances 6, eaay2368
| Verification of extreme event attribution: using out-of-sample observations to assess changes in probabilities of unprecedented events.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32206708PubMed |
Drew P (2020) Rethinking the architecture of bush dwellings and settlements. Quadrant 64, 100–103.
Evans J (2020) ‘Canberra Hospital’s intensive care ward smoke-filled, surgical stock contaminated during horror bushfire season.’ ABC News 25 May 2020. Available at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-25/canberra-hospitals-wards-filled-with-toxic-smoke-this-summer/12279384?nw=0 [Verified 1 August 2020]
Finkel ML (2019) A call for action: integrating climate change into the medical school curriculum. Perspectives on Medical Education 8, 265–266.
| A call for action: integrating climate change into the medical school curriculum.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 31598871PubMed |
Freund M, Henley JB, Karoly DJ, Allen KA, Baker PJ (2017) Multi-century cool- and warm-season rainfall reconstructions for Australia’s major climactic regions. Climate of the Past 13, 1751–1770.
| Multi-century cool- and warm-season rainfall reconstructions for Australia’s major climactic regions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Haines A, Dora C (2012) How the low carbon economy can improve health. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) 344, e1018
| How the low carbon economy can improve health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Health Workforce Australia (2012) Health workforce 2025: doctors, nurses and midwives, Vol. 1. (HWA: Adelaide)
Kenny A, Duckett S (2004) A question of place: medical power in rural Australia. Social Science & Medicine 58, 1059–1073.
| A question of place: medical power in rural Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lal A (2020) ‘What do bushfires mean for Australia’s water supply?’ Asia and the Pacific Society Policy Forum 28 January 2020. Available at https://www.policyforum.net/what-do-bushfires-mean-for-australias-water-supply/ [Verified 12 August 2020]
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (2020) Submission to the Senate Inquiry: Lessons to be learned in relation to the Australian bushfire season 2019–20. 1 April 2020. (Parliament of Australia: Canberra).
New South Wales Department of Health (2020) ‘Managing medications during and after bushfire.’ 8 January 2020. Available at https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/bushfire-medications.aspx [Verified 1 August 2020].
PriceWaterhouseCoopers Australia (2011) ‘Protecting human health and safety during severe and extreme heat events: A national framework.’ (Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Australian Government, Canberra)
Public Health Association of Australia (2020) Submission to the Senate Inquiry: Lessons to be learned in relation to the Australian bushfire season 2019–20. 27 May 2020. (Parliament of Australia: Canberra)
Purcell R, McGirr J (2018) Rural health service managers’ perspectives on preparing rural health services for climate change. The Australian Journal of Rural Health 26, 20–25.
| Rural health service managers’ perspectives on preparing rural health services for climate change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28815911PubMed |
Schneider EC, Sarnak DO, Squires D, Shah A, Doty MM (2017). ‘Mirror, mirror 2017: international comparison reflects flaws and opportunities for better US health care.’ (Commonwealth Fund: London). Available at https://interactives.commonwealthfund.org/2017/july/mirror-mirror/ [Verified 1 August 2020].
State Government of Victoria (2020) ‘Advice for pharmacists supplying medicines to patients affected by Victorian bushfires.’ 9 January 2020. Available at https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/drugs-and-poisons/supplying-patients-affected-by-bushfires [Verified 1 August 2020]
State of Victoria, Department of Health (2010) ‘Residential aged care bushfire ready resource.’ (Victorian Department of Health: Melbourne). Available at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/bushfire/downloads/racs_bushfire_resource.pdf [Verified 1 August 2020]
Swain DL, Singh D, Touma D, Diffenbaugh NS (2020) Attributing extreme events to climate change: a new frontier in a warming world. One Earth 2, 522–527.
| Attributing extreme events to climate change: a new frontier in a warming world.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vardoulakis S, Jalaludin BB, Morgan GG, Hanigan IC, Johnston FH (2020) Bushfire smoke: urgent need for a national health protection strategy. The Medical Journal of Australia 212, 349–353.
| Bushfire smoke: urgent need for a national health protection strategy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 32088929PubMed |
Williamson B, Markham F, Weir J (2020). ‘Aboriginal peoples and the response to the 2019–2020 bushfires.’ Working Paper No. 134/2020 (Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University: Canberra). Available at https://doi.org/10.25911/5e7882623186c [Verified 1 August 2020]
World Health Organization (2015). ‘Operational framework for building climate resilient health systems.’ (World Health Organization: Geneva)
World Health Organization (2017) ‘Communicating risk in public health emergencies: A WHO guideline for emergency risk communication policy and practice.’ (World Health Organization: Geneva)
Yu P, Xu R, Abramson MJ, Li S, Guo Y (2020) Bushfires in Australia: a serious health emergency under climate change. Lancet 4, e7–e8.
