A Monash University-led study has proposed an answer for the urgent must capture real-time data on the impact of climate change-related events on human health, healthcare workforces, and healthcare systems at the purpose of care.
As the worldwide community faces growing climate challenges, the study calls for motion, collaboration, and innovation to safeguard human health and wellbeing within the face of environmental crises.
Published within the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, it highlighted key climate and natural disaster-related concepts, reminiscent of heatwave and drought, that have to be integrated in standardized medical terminology.
Monash University Nursing and Midwifery Associate Professor Zerina Lokmic-Tomkins led the project with a world group of researchers.
“Climate change, a critical risk driver of natural disasters, is rapidly jeopardizing global environmental sustainability, planetary health, population health, and sustainable development goals,” Associate Professor Lokmic-Tomkins said.
“Our research indicates that current clinical terminologies lack the mandatory depth to capture the complete range of hazards related to climate change, particularly those linked to environmental and meteorological aspects.
“This gap hinders our ability to genuinely understand the extent of the impact of climate-related natural disasters on human health, but in addition how we plan to deliver effective healthcare during disasters, and plan interventions to support healthcare systems in times of crisis.”
The study highlighted the necessity for comprehensive clinical terminologies to capture climate-driven disaster and hazard-related events that impact human health and the availability of sustainable healthcare services across preparation, response and recovery related to these events.
It mapped the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction-International Science Council (UNDRR-ISC)’s Hazard Information Profiles (HIP) to SNOMED CT International, a widely used clinical terminology for electronic health records.
The resulting paper called for global collaboration to expand SNOMED CT International to incorporate unique geographical and regional hazard contexts disproportionately experienced in countries most affected by climate change.
“By including diverse perspectives and contributions globally, the clinical terminology can higher reflect global health needs and improve disaster preparedness and response efforts,” Associate Professor Lokmic-Tomkins said.
“This implies capturing hazards linked to meteorological clusters, reminiscent of heatwaves and droughts, which have significant impact on human health across the lifespan.
“Enhancing globally agreed terminology would enable clinicians, public health officials, and health informaticians to administer vast volumes of clinical data, and retrieve, analyze, and contextualize it to specific climate-related situations.
“This data could be utilized to develop evidence-based interventions, predict future impacts more precisely, and support informed decision-making by policymakers and government leaders for climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.”
The work uncovered gaps in clinical terminologies available to healthcare professionals during disaster-related events. Notably, hazards related to meteorological, hydrological, extraterrestrial, geohazard, environmental, technological, and societal aspects were poorly mapped.
Associate Professor Lokmic-Tomkins said one of the crucial concerning findings was the absence of hazards reminiscent of ‘heatwave’ and ‘drought’ in SNOMED CT International.
“These phenomena have intensified attributable to climate change and have significant impacts on human health, migration patterns, and armed conflict situations globally,” she said. “Correcting this deficit in SNOMED CT is crucial to capturing these events as causative aspects of health-related issues.”
The study also highlights inequities in global health information systems infrastructure, particularly in areas where health systems lack the capability to make use of standardized terminologies. This data gap further exacerbates challenges in providing basic look after vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings, hindering sustainable healthcare efforts.
“Our work is just starting,” Associate Professor Lokmic-Tomkins said. “By addressing these challenges and expanding clinical terminologies, we may help develop resilient healthcare and community systems that may effectively address the increasing frequency and intensity of climate change-related disasters.”
Source:
Journal reference:
Lokmic-Tomkins, Z., et al. (2023) Evaluating the representation of disaster hazards in SNOMED CT: gaps and opportunities. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocad153.