How Can We Navigate Beyond Hurricane Sandy To Address Climate Change-Induced Health Disparities?

Preventable differences in health outcomes – such as burden of disease, injury, violence, life expectancy, mortality, health status, and prevalence of health conditions – are now worsened by climate change (Ndugga, Pillai, Artiga, 2024). To make matters worse, these health disparities disproportionately impact minorities and people living in poor socioeconomic neighborhoods. 

As residents of Far Rockaway, we have witnessed the impacts of climate change: the cold, snowy winter has now been replaced with coastal flooding and storm surge. Superstorms, hurricanes, and nor’easters are just a few examples of the kinds of natural disasters that have been worsened by climate change and affect our community. The memory of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy on our beaches and coastlines remains vivid in our minds. 13 years later, many of our residents are still recovering from the ugly effects of Hurricane Sandy.

In recent years, climate change-induced health disparities have surged to increase the risk of heat-related illnesses – i.e., heat stroke, respiratory tract diseases, cardiopulmonary issues, food insecurity, and mental health issues. Furthermore, due to social, economic, and political inequities, some communities suffer greater consequences than others (CDC 2024). 

It’s time for our community to answer the question, “How can we navigate beyond Hurricane Sandy to address climate change-induced health disparities?” Addressing this question means prioritizing climate resilience and health equity in our community. To improve climate resilience and health equity, we need to start by using community engagement, infrastructure improvements, and policy changes that address the root cause of vulnerability in underserved minority populations.

When I took a walk along the beach boardwalk, I saw sand-filled coastlines, built rock hedges, and planted beach grasses that aim to checkmate and safeguard our shorelines. These measures demonstrate policy changes, but our work isn’t finished. We want our elected officials – Senator James Sandas and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato – to be our voice in combating climate change and health disparities in our community.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. We need to protect the Rockaway Peninsula, and to do that, we need to demand that our elected officials source federal funding for non-defense programs (e.g., scientific research). We know it will take a collective effort to address the effects of climate change, and we are ready to push forward into a better tomorrow.

References

CDC 2024. Clinical Overview of Heat and Cardiovascular Diseases. https://www.cdc.gov/heat-health/hcp/clinical-overview/heat-and-people-with-cardiovascular-disease.html#:~:text=Heat%20stress%20can%20increase%20demand,all%20contribute%20to%20cardiovascular%20disease.

Ndugga, N., Pillai, D., Artiga, S. (2024). Disparities in Health Care: 5 Key Questions and Answers. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/disparities-in-health-and-health-care-5-key-question-and-answers/

United Nations (2022). What is Climate Change? https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change