Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh
Abstract Climate change may affect human health through multiple and interactive pathways that include safe water scarcity. However, impacts of climate change-induced water scarcity on health and well-being are complex. About 80% of illnesses in developing countries are attributed to unsafe drinking...
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doaj-454143ebee7d41968b570e77cf6f9bed2020-11-25T01:35:04ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of Disaster Risk Science2095-00552192-63952018-12-01101284210.1007/s13753-018-0211-8Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal BangladeshMd. Anwarul Abedin0Andrew E. Collins1Umma Habiba2Rajib Shaw3Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Geography and Environmental Sciences/Disaster and Development Network (DDN), Northumbria UniversityDepartment of Agricultural Extension, Ministry of AgricultureGraduate School of Media and Governance, Keio UniversityAbstract Climate change may affect human health through multiple and interactive pathways that include safe water scarcity. However, impacts of climate change-induced water scarcity on health and well-being are complex. About 80% of illnesses in developing countries are attributed to unsafe drinking water and waterborne diseases. In Southwestern Bangladesh, lack of safe drinking water is a severe crisis due to climate change. The study investigated the impacts of climate change on water resources and human health in a coastal area. A questionnaire survey was carried out in two villages of Shymnagar upazila on the southwestern coast to investigate the present status of safe water sources and health care facilities and their impacts on the local community. The results show that the local community believes that climate change is having substantial impacts on freshwater sources and health. More than 70% of the respondents identified diarrhea, dysentery, and skin diseases as the prime waterborne health risks that occur through climate-related safe water scarcity. By synthesizing the ground data, we suggest pathways to health adaptation to climate change effects and safe water scarcity through locally available adaptive practices such as the use of pond sand filters, rainwater harvesting, and importing potable water with the active participation of the government, nongovernmental organizations, and communities.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-018-0211-8Climate changeHealth risksSafe water scarcitySouthwestern BangladeshWaterborne diseases |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Md. Anwarul Abedin Andrew E. Collins Umma Habiba Rajib Shaw |
spellingShingle |
Md. Anwarul Abedin Andrew E. Collins Umma Habiba Rajib Shaw Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh International Journal of Disaster Risk Science Climate change Health risks Safe water scarcity Southwestern Bangladesh Waterborne diseases |
author_facet |
Md. Anwarul Abedin Andrew E. Collins Umma Habiba Rajib Shaw |
author_sort |
Md. Anwarul Abedin |
title |
Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh |
title_short |
Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh |
title_full |
Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh |
title_fullStr |
Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh |
title_full_unstemmed |
Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh |
title_sort |
climate change, water scarcity, and health adaptation in southwestern coastal bangladesh |
publisher |
SpringerOpen |
series |
International Journal of Disaster Risk Science |
issn |
2095-0055 2192-6395 |
publishDate |
2018-12-01 |
description |
Abstract Climate change may affect human health through multiple and interactive pathways that include safe water scarcity. However, impacts of climate change-induced water scarcity on health and well-being are complex. About 80% of illnesses in developing countries are attributed to unsafe drinking water and waterborne diseases. In Southwestern Bangladesh, lack of safe drinking water is a severe crisis due to climate change. The study investigated the impacts of climate change on water resources and human health in a coastal area. A questionnaire survey was carried out in two villages of Shymnagar upazila on the southwestern coast to investigate the present status of safe water sources and health care facilities and their impacts on the local community. The results show that the local community believes that climate change is having substantial impacts on freshwater sources and health. More than 70% of the respondents identified diarrhea, dysentery, and skin diseases as the prime waterborne health risks that occur through climate-related safe water scarcity. By synthesizing the ground data, we suggest pathways to health adaptation to climate change effects and safe water scarcity through locally available adaptive practices such as the use of pond sand filters, rainwater harvesting, and importing potable water with the active participation of the government, nongovernmental organizations, and communities. |
topic |
Climate change Health risks Safe water scarcity Southwestern Bangladesh Waterborne diseases |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-018-0211-8 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mdanwarulabedin climatechangewaterscarcityandhealthadaptationinsouthwesterncoastalbangladesh AT andrewecollins climatechangewaterscarcityandhealthadaptationinsouthwesterncoastalbangladesh AT ummahabiba climatechangewaterscarcityandhealthadaptationinsouthwesterncoastalbangladesh AT rajibshaw climatechangewaterscarcityandhealthadaptationinsouthwesterncoastalbangladesh |
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