Assessment of vulnerability of public health to the impact of global environmental change

Critical literature review was used in this study to collect the information concerning the potential ompact of global environmental changes on public health. Although the potential influence of global warming on public health has been a subject of study for decades, no clear conclusions have been made. The vulnerability of public health to environmental changes is hypothetical until the degree of change is known. The global envirnmental changes may have direct or indirect effects on public health. The main direct effects are heat stroke and heat exhaustion. The indirect effects from global changes include changes in the pattern and trends of vectorborne diseases from unusual distribution of vectors, increased skin diseases from ultraviolet light, and increased cases of allerty and asthma from environmental pollution. However, due to uncertainty concerning the impact of global climate changes on public health, it will be difficult to justify trends and correlation between observed health changes and environmental changes.