Assessing climate change and health provisions among staff in higher education institutions: A preliminary investigation

developing strategies and implementing measures to address climate change and health. The study concludes by providing specific recommendations aimed at facilitating the han- dling of issues related to climate change and health in a higher education context. 1. Introduction Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human health. It can impact human health in several direct and indirect ways, such as malnutrition, casualties, and physical injuries due to the intensified storms and floods that are termed as direct effects, droughts, water scarcity/con- tamination, heatwaves, increasing morbidity and mortality along with the adverse effects on mental health [1]. Indirect effects include an increase in tropospheric ozone, contributing to a rise in the number of asthma attacks and vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue [2]. Risks for most health outcomes are projected to increase, with young children, the elderly, pregnant women, individuals with pre-existing morbidities, physical labourers, and people liv- ing in poverty, being the most vulnerable [3]. The increase in temperature and humidity in the atmosphere increases the body’s core temperature, resulting in a severe impact on heat illness and heat strokes. Extreme temperatures cause more heat-related deaths in addition to the ill- ness of cardiovascular, kidney, and respiratory disorders [4]. An increase in thermal stress due to climate change can cause dehydration, tiredness, faint- ing, confusion, ineffective functioning of the brain, lack of concentration, and body discomfort

[5, 6]. Environmental changes as a result of climate change are occurring swiftly. Rises in tem- perature contribute to the existence of more mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, potentially resulting in an increased number of fatalities from diseases such as malaria. Mosquito types such as Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex transmit mosquito-borne infectious diseases [7, 8]. In addition, climate change is likely to increase the spread of vector-borne and infectious diseases such as dengue fever and Zika virus [9], as warmer temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns create more favourable conditions for disease-carrying mosquitoes and other vectors. Accord- ing to [10], Semakula et al. [11], and Leedale et al. [12], malaria vector hotspots and prevalence in east and southern Africa and the Sahel are projected to increase under Representative Con- centration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP8.5 by 2030 and becoming more pronounced later in the century [13]. Aside from the physical health impacts, climate change can also impact people’s mental health. As a direct result of an event related to climate change, individuals may immediately experience high stress, fear, terror, and being overwhelmed [14–16]. Following a climate change related event, individuals may experience a range of long-term mental health issues including displacement from home environments, post-traumatic stress, depression, grief and anger [14, 15]. Recent research by Hickman et al. [17] shows that the psychological burdens of climate change are affecting the mental health of young people across the globe.

Moreover, climate change can negatively impact the economy of regions and countries, which may subsequently lead to unemployment and socio-economic problems. Data indicates that in 2020, the world population experienced a loss of 295 billion potential work hours due to extreme heat exposure, with 79% of all losses occurring in countries with a poor Human Development Index, happening in the agricultural sector [18]. Considering the complex and wide-ranging impacts of climate change on human health, it is important to understand the relationships between climate change and health and to develop effective strategies to address these impacts. PLOS ONE Climate change and health in HEIs PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304019 May 21, 2024 2 / 21