Extreme Weather Is Associated with Increasing Rates of Unintentional Injury in Alaska: Evidence and Implications

Climate records in Alaska indicate that the average temperature in north and northwest portions of the state have warmed 7° Fahrenheit since the 1950s. This has resulted in the degradation of permafrost, loss of sea ice, and warming and acidification of seawater. These changes to the environment have also amplified the number and intensity of extreme weather events. In this presentation we present primary data from two year-long rounds of community-bases surveillance of the health effects of climate change in Alaska. Unintentional injuries were nearly three-times more likely during months in which the unusual or unseasonable environmental conditions occurred (OR = 2.8 95% CI 1.6 – 4.9) and nearly five-times more likely in months when community members changed travel plans due to those unseasonable environmental conditions (OR = 4.5 95% CI 2.9 – 6.9). We present statistical evidence of associations between unseasonable environmental conditions in northern regions of Alaska and incidence of injury based on secondary data from NOAA, the Alaska Trauma Registry, and community health aides. Finally, we present formative primary data collected in GIS-assisted semi-structured interviews on the contextual factors associated with unintentional injuries suffered during travel by residents of rural and remote communities in northern Alaska. These factors include environmental covariates, as well as behavioral covariates, such as the location and manner in which these travel-related injuries take place. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of increased extreme weather and hazardous travel conditions on population health in rural and remote communities in north and northwest Alaska.