Climate Change and Occupational and Environmental Medicine

This posting is not a self-contained blog, as usual. Rather, I’d like to bring to your attention an important guidance document prepared with and my colleagues in the Section on Environmental Medicine of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, just published by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine electronically in advance of print.

Responsibilities of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Provider in the Treatment and Prevention of Climate Change-Related Health Problems

Perkison William B. MD MPH; Kearney, Gregory D. DrPH, MPH; Saberi, Poune MD, MPH; Guidotti, Tee MD, MPH; McCarthy, Ronda MD, MPH; Cook-Shimanek, Margaret MD, MPH; Pensa, Mellisa MD, MPH; Nabeel, Ismail MD, MPH; Dreger, Marianne MA; ACOEM Task Force on Climate Change

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: Post Acceptance: December 15, 2017

doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001251

Acoem Guidance Statement: PDF Only

Abstract: Workers are uniquely susceptible to the health hazards imposed by environmental changes. Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) providers are at the forefront of emerging health issues pertaining to working populations including climate change, and must be prepared to recognize, respond to, and mitigate climate change-related health effects in workers. This guidance document from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine focuses on North American workers health effects that may occur as a result of climate change and describes the responsibilities of the OEM provider in responding to these health challenges.

The document should appear in the second or third issue of JOEM in 2018. You can access the paper at http://journals.lww.com/joem/Abstract/publishahead/Responsibilities_of_the_Occupational_and.98753.aspx

Tee L. Guidotti

Copyright of abstract held by ACOEM.