Introduction
The pertinent question that confronts almost all Americans is whether healthcare is a privilege or a right. In the times of economic turmoil as witnessed during the 2008 global financial crisis, the cost of healthcare reached untamable levels. Some of the challenges of the crisis include the rising health care insurance costs in which case it compromised the ability of a vast majority of Americans to obtain affordable health care.
Also, regulations hurdles from legislators have further complicated the issue by this question. In this regard, the nation's leaders have politicized the issue with inferences drawn from the country's most adhered documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. In this case, leaders of the Tea Party and Conservationists have disapproved of the decision of making health care a right and instead advocates for the awarding of its privilege status. They indicate the lack of its inclusion in these documents disqualifies its consideration of being a right.
The grim situation is made even worse with climate change, a global human impending disaster that is threatened to introduce changes that are already being witnessed, and the earth's atmosphere. In this case, the costs associated with healthcare are bound to increase following the adverse consequences related to global warming. As a result, affordable healthcare is set to become unattainable unless the formulation of drastic measures takes place. In this case, this paper will address the issue of global warming and the science behind it, and relate it with healthcare, that is, the impact climate change has on healthcare.
Global Warming
According to the Pew Center (2011), global warming is the increase in global temperatures over time as a result of the increase in Greenhouse Gasses. These gasses are responsible for trapping the heat in the earth's surface and as a result, lead to a rise in climatic temperatures. Greenhouse gasses are those that have two atoms per molecule that have internal vibrational modes that are responsible for absorbing infrared radiation.
This occurrence creates the greenhouse effect. Examples of these gasses include carbon dioxide, released from the burning of fossil fuel such as wood or deforestation. The release of this gas in large amounts is one of the leading causes of global warming. In the second instance, the deforestation trend plays a significant role in its contribution to global warming. In this regard, trees need carbon dioxide for their chemical processes which emit oxygen as a byproduct. As such, the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere is kept at a minimum level to facilitate an ecological balance.
However, human activities such as industrialization have influenced the cutting of trees for energy creation. As a result, since there is no absorption of carbon dioxide by trees taking place, the levels of the gas subsequently increase in the atmosphere, leading to global warming (Pew Center, 2011). This trend is common in developing countries as the majority of rural populations use firewood as a primary source of energy. In comparison, developed countries have invested heavily in environmental-friendly techniques such as the utilization of the solar, wind, nuclear, and hydro energy to complement fossil energy.
The global warming trend is responsible for climate change. The Pew Center (2011) defines climate change as any changes witnessed in precipitation from rainfall or snow, temperature and wind patterns on a global scale that have the potential to persist for long durations of time. Climate change is a product of both natural and human activities. In this case, nature is responsible for climate change following the release of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas as explained above) to the atmosphere from natural processes or from water vapor which is also responsible for global warming.
Other natural causes include the earth's shift from its orbit, the intensity of the sun, and volcanic activities. However, the levels of greenhouse gasses resulting from natural causes are regulated through a balanced eco-system. As a consequence, the main culprits of global warming are human beings from their activities.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (2011), the amounts of greenhouse gasses are not solely from natural processes but have been compounded as a result of human activities. In this regard, EPA provides the illustration that pre-industrial age from 1000AD to around 1750, the levels of carbon dioxide increased from 275 parts per million to 285 parts per million (2011). However, for approximately 250 years, the CO2 levels rose from 285 to 379 parts per million. This increase resulted primarily from human activities. From these statistics, the emission of greenhouse gasses has increased by almost 70% in the atmosphere between the years 1970 and 2004. This shocking figure has prompted concern and called for action to manage the CO2 levels effectively.
Global Climatic Changes
On a broader scale, climate change lead to an increase in sea levels as a result of the decline of ice at Arctic regions such as the North and South Poles. As a consequence, this has compromised the survival of species in these habitats such as the polar bear. Other climatic conditions have been erratic rainfall that has led to the occurrence of floods and prolonged droughts. For instance, the drought facing Mid-Western America has been attributed to climate change. Also, extreme weather patterns such as violent hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons that have caused immense damage to infrastructure and loss of lives around the world are also a consequence of climate change.
According to McMichael (2006), various health related cases have been associated with global warming. In this case, according to the 2014 National Climate Assessment report, current and potential impacts related to climate change have been provided (McMichael, 2006). In this case, the rise in atmospheric temperatures over the last decade was responsible for extreme weather events as described above. These environmental changes have resulted in the growing number of chronic diseases as well as outbreaks of infectious ailments that are alien to native America. In this case, it has become imperatively difficult for health care providers to treat illnesses they have never seen before, thereby compromising the safety situation and the ability to manage outbreaks of such diseases.
The report further indicates that people in the lower socio-economic standard experience the adverse effects associated with global warming compared to others on the upper strata. This effect is about the developing countries, in which case, are more vulnerable to the adverse consequences of climate change as opposed to individuals in developed countries.
Connections across Disciplines
Global warming is changing the world in a negative way. The melting of ice, the increase in heat waves, and changes in precipitation level are some of the effects of global warming on the environment. Such extreme weather conditions result in intense drought, flooding, wildfires, storms, and hurricane. These environmental changes affect the quality of life people lives since they propagate poorer air quality.
Scientific evidence points out that globing warming is a major contributor to premature deaths and diseases worldwide. Climate change affects the health of an individual directly and indirectly. It affects our health directly through changing weather patterns such as heat waves and indirectly by affecting the quality of air people breath. Also, floods and drought disrupt the normal growing seasons thus leading to crop failures resulting in malnutrition especially among children.
The presence of higher temperature increases the reproduction rate of mosquitos which escalates the spread of malaria and other waterborne diseases. Evidence such that extreme weather conditions increase diarrheal and respiratory diseases especially to low-income families that cannot afford clean water for consumption. Older adults, pregnant women, and children are venerable to extreme weather conditions since their immunity level is low. Due to lack of a strong body immunity, the venerable population is at a greater risk since they are susceptible to food-borne, vector-borne and waterborne diseases (Laura, Stephanie, and Brenda M. 2012).
The nursing department has an integral role to play in the interventions and control of global warming. The changing pace of climate change at a higher rate has necessitated the need for formulation of ways in which the population can adapt to such changes. Climate change has led to an increase in global warming resulting to extreme weather conditions in different parts of the world. Over the years, people have deployed various safety measures to adapt to the ever-changing weather conditions.
Such security measures include behavioral strategies which include seasonal migration to other parts of the world with better weather conditions, scheduling daily work and clothing depending on the weather condition. Other individuals have deployed technical measures such as using air conditioning and designing the building using modern technology that regulates heat and cold.
However, the high pace of global warming requires nurses’ intervention to increase the population ability to deal with this world problem. Some of the roles which nurses play in helping the population curb global warming include endorsing behavioral strategies that promote the population adaptation to change in climate. Nurses also advocate for the strengthening of health infrastructure and fighting for the reduction of societal inequalities that discriminate the less privileged from accessing healthcare services.
Nurses use their expertise in promoting positive life changes during times of difficulties for instance during birth and when an individual suffers from a chronic illness. Nurses play a significant role in the population adaptation to a new environment by increasing the capacity of an individual to address or adapt to various stressors that come as a result of environmental change. Thus, nurses can apply such expertise to help the population adapt to climate change especially global warming which has affected the lives of many people in the society.
Adaptation to climate change alone is not enough since the cost of living will escalate due to an increase in medical care. Nurses, therefore, have the mandate to educate policy makers, community leaders, colleagues, and patients about the consequence of climate change on their health (Laura, Stephanie, and Brenda M. 2012). There is the need for nurses to sensitize the population to the adverse effect of climate change. It is the only way people will begin to address the issue of global warming at a personal level. Reduction in emission CO2 gas is necessary for curbing global warming.
Nurses and other health practitioners should be at the forefront in advocating for the use of fewer resources and less energy. They should also support legislation and policies that will help in reducing the emission of harmful gasses into the atmosphere. Health practitioners also have a role to ensure the stabilization of the climate. Stabilizing the climate is essential in curbing the severe impacts climate change has on the well-being and health of the population.
Synthesis
Over the course of time, there have been fewer and fewer leaders dedicated to the global health sector in comparison to the ever-growing numbers in other departments. While this happens, there have been recurrent as well as emerging healthcare issues in the global setting. Statistics from the global body World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that many people have little or no access to quality healthcare in different countries due to various reasons.
Poverty and the high costs of healthcare are the main setbacks to many people affording the quality healthcare that they deserve. According to the WHO, health is a human right that is inseparable from other human rights and that every human being is entitled to good health care that brings about dignity (World Health Organization, 2005).
Since the derivation of various fundamental human rights is based on the dignity as well as the overall worthiness of people, healthcare should also be recorded in the necessary documents as a human right. The health of an individual holds a significant part of how the economy of a country together with other sectors of human life progress. In developing countries, major health epidemics have proved to be barriers to economic growth. The labor section of economic growth largely depends on the human effort. A change in the healthcare standards would mean that production would not be efficient and consistent.
Healthcare insurance has been seen to help human beings for long. The insurance helps families in the events of sudden sicknesses as well as accidents. Studies indicate that the absence of properly funded health care results in the misappropriation of funds in the event that certain accidents such as emergency medical needs emerge. When families are not able to support the payments, they cash in on assets such as vehicles, homes and so on. In the end, the economy is disrupted and the projected annual GDP may not be met. Healthcare is a core need for all persons irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnic background, cultural affiliation among other issues. Many scholars have universally agreed on this point. Governments as well as interested non-governmental organizations should team up to ensure that best healthcare standards are achieved globally.
Lately, there have been serious attempts made in prioritizing health care on the global platform. There has been the development of health policies that have been set out to realize explicitly health as a fundamental human right. Several leaderships and management programs have been established to achieve the said goal.
The leadership programs have been tailored to address several key emerging as well as persistent healthcare issues. The nurses play a major role in the development of these programs. There is the need to make efforts into ensuring that the nurses have additional knowledge on how they can be advocates for human rights on top of their daily clinical practice.
Many of scholars who champion the globalization of healthcare as a right have assumptions that many of the different economies can support such initiatives. The globalization of healthcare as a right poses major challenge to the developing economies. Many of these economies are struggling to provide the basic needs such as security and education. The addition of healthcare bills to the already debt-stricken economies would yield no desirable results. Leadership and healthcare management in the developing countries have been marred by several challenges such as inadequate knowledge, poverty, and corruption among other issues.
In conclusion, the realization of health as a universal right has been met by several avoidable and unavoidable challenges. There are certain challenges such as cultural barriers that can be dealt with. The use of policies and leadership programs in the global front may prove to be very useful in the process of realization of health as a basic human right. There is the need for cohesion among member organizations and interested parties that work towards this goal.
In conclusion, the nursing fraternity should be redesigned so as to help accommodate some of the duties that are meant to realize these objectives. For instance, nurses should receive the necessary knowledge on how they can champion human rights amidst their daily clinical practices. Global warming and climate change have been major contributors to the deterioration of the health sector. The emergence of new health challenges due to climate change have piled up challenges to the champions of the global health sector (Pew, 2011). It is imperative that stakeholders such as governments, non-governmental organizations and globally concerned bodies join hands in realizing universal health care as a basic human right.
References
EPA (2011). Climate Change. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
Laura Anderko, Stephanie Chalupka, and Brenda M. Afzal. (2012).Climate Change and Health: Is There a Role for the Health Care Sector? Catholic Health Association of the United States. https://www.chausa.org/docs/default-source/general-files/climateandhealth.pdf?sfvrsn=6
McMichael, A.J (2006). Climate change and human health: Present and future risks. The Lancet Series. Retrieved from www.thelancet.com
Pew Center (2011). Climate change 101: Understanding and responding to global climate change. Climate Change. Retrieved from www.pewcenter/climatechange.com
World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe. (2005). Health and climate change: the now and how. A policy action guide.
