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Climate change and health in rural mountain environments: summary of a workshop on knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities for action

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Abstract

Climate change and its associated impacts on human health are serious and growing challenges. Yet, despite elevated health disparities, unique underlying vulnerabilities, and distinctive ecosystems, little research has been conducted in rural mountain environments to understand climate-health interactions. The climate change and health workshop in rural mountain environments was held at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, United States, to address these research gaps. Experts, community members, and students from diverse disciplines engaged in World Café brainstorms and open-ended discussions to highlight needs across seven research priority themes, which focused on rural southern Appalachia but are applicable to other rural mountain environments: (1) anticipating climate change-driven environmental changes specific to rural mountain environments; (2) identifying and reaching vulnerable populations; (3) building health care access security during weather disasters; (4) building mental health support security in the context of climate change; (5) vector-borne disease resilience; (6) building food security in the context of climate change; and (7) public education and conversations of climate change. This report summarizes the workshop findings and provides a template for future research at the intersection of climate and health, including but not limited to establishing multi-sector and interdisciplinary working groups with clear objectives, enhancing knowledge and understanding of key issues, as well as acting collaboratively and engaging with stakeholders to build resilience in rural mountain environments to address the effects of climate change on human health.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award (grant #2044839) from the National Science Foundation, the National Institue of Environmental Health Sciences grant (#1R15ES033817-01), and support from the Appalachian State University’s Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services (IHHS) and Research Institute for Environment, Energy, and Economics (RIEEE).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, USA

    Margaret Mae Sugg, Sophia Ryan, Taylin Spurlock, Adam Hege, Matthew Chidozie Ogwu, Jennifer Tyson, Elizabeth Shay, Kelly Ann Renwick, Christine Hendren & Manan Roy

  2. College of Health and Human Sciences, School of Health Sciences Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, 28723, USA

    Sara Duncan

  3. North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, North Carolina State University, 151 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC, 28801, USA

    Jennfier D. Runkle

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  1. Margaret Mae Sugg
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Correspondence to Margaret Mae Sugg.

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Sugg, M.M., Ryan, S., Spurlock, T. et al. Climate change and health in rural mountain environments: summary of a workshop on knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities for action. GeoJournal 88, 5397–5409 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-023-10916-4

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