Table 1.
Adaptation Actions for Individuals, Communities, Health Care Professionals, Local, National, and International Governments and Governmental Agencies to Decrease the Risks of Allergic Illnesses Related to Climatic Change
| Individuals | Health Care Professionals | Communities/ Organizations |
Local Governments and Agencies | National/International Governments and Agencies | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero Order Prevention: Decrease emissions of and/or increase sinks for greenhouse gases |
▪ Take actions to decrease carbon footprints and encourage others to do the same ▪ Educate public officials about the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation efforts |
▪ Take actions to decrease carbon footprints ▪ Talk to patients about the importance for their health of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions ▪ Educate public officials about the health co-benefits of mitigation |
▪ Take actions to decrease carbon footprints ▪ Educate public officials about the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation efforts |
▪ Enact policies to decrease carbon footprints ▪ Work across local governments to create regional agreements on GHG mitigation policies ▪ Enact mitigation strategies that have health co-benefitsa |
▪ Enact legislation to decrease greenhouse gas emissions at the national level ▪ Collaborate to bring about international agreements toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions ▪ Enact mitigation strategies that have health co-benefitsa |
| Primary Prevention: Reduce exposures to aeroallergens |
▪ Monitor aeroallergen and ozone alert forecasts and minimize exposures ▪ Use of HEPA filters should be encouraged for asthmatics to decrease penetration of aeroallergens into the home |
▪ Advise asthmatic patients to avoid overexertion and/or excessive time outdoors during days of high pollen counts and air pollution ▪ Educate patients about how to locate and interpret daily air quality indicesa |
▪ Create and implement education programs about the importance of allergen avoidance for allergy sufferers, particularly asthmaticsb ▪ Design and protect landscapes that produce lower levels of aeroallergens within the context of local ecologya |
▪ Enforce criteria pollutant standards ▪ Have medications and HEPA filters available for those who cannot afford them ▪ Control which species are planted in populated areasc |
▪ Enforce criteria pollutant standards ▪ Create and implement education programs about the importance of allergen avoidance for allergy sufferers, particularly asthmaticsb |
| Secondary Prevention: Prevent onset of allergic illnesses |
▪ Use allergy and asthma medications as prescribed ▪ Check pollen forecasts and avoid excessive time outdoors on high pollen days |
▪ Advise patients on the correct ways to prevent onset of allergies through medications ▪ Provide patients with information on where to find accurate pollen forecasts |
▪ Communicate the importance of limiting exposure on high pollutant days | ▪ Communicate the importance of limiting exposure on high pollutant days | ▪ Communicate the importance of limiting exposure on high pollutant days |
| Tertiary Prevention: Treat allergic illnesses | ▪ Seek medical help if necessary | ▪ Ensure medications are widely availableb | ▪ Ensure medications are widely available b | ▪ Ensure continued funding for medical care | ▪ Ensure continued funding for medical care |