Extended Abstract (68K)9B.5
Public health impacts of drought
Michael J. Hayes, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
Public health impacts from drought are some of the least understood and documented. However, recent drought events in the United States have highlighted several important public health-related issues. The current drought in 2002 in the northeastern United States has caused many private wells to go completely dry, with low well levels affecting many others. In Vermont, this has affected 35,000 people. In Maine, approximately 17,000 families have so far been without water at some point during the 2001-02 drought, with waiting lists for new wells up to six months long. Elderly citizens, or those with medical conditions, have had tremendous difficulty transporting enough water for daily use. During the 2000 drought and wildfires in Montana, the smoke-induced haze created public health problems across Montana and North Dakota. Nine public health issues related to drought have been identified and will be discussed. These issues are 1) water quality, 2) water quantity, 3) waste treatment, 4) mental health and stress, 5) hygiene, 6) increased rodents and pests, 7) wildlife intrusion, 8) nutrition, and 9) dust and windblown agents. Examples will be provided to focus attention on these issues and the need for mitigation actions to reduce their impacts in the future.
Supplementary URL: http://drought.unl.edu/ndmc/
Session 9B, Heat Waves and Human Health
Wednesday, 30 October 2002, 1:00 PM-2:15 PM
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