A medical student at University of Michigan shared the following story about her patient: 

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"I recently cared for a patient, a veteran, with bipolar disorder who was trying to take the bus to a psychiatry appointment on a 90-degree day.

Not knowing that the bus stop had moved, he tried to walk a mile to the next stop in the heat. He became dehydrated and confused along the way. He missed the appointment.

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His condition continued to deteriorate in the following days, and he was ultimately
admitted to the hospital. The heat may have made is medicines less effective and contributed to his dehydration."

 

The number of hot days in Michigan will continue to increase with climate change. This will especially affect those who do not have access to air conditioning and those on psychotropic medications that increase their sensitivity to heat.

Floods are predicted to increase as climate change makes extreme weather events happen more often and more intensely.

 

In Detroit, frequent flooding has been well documented and will only get worse. One patient and public health student told us about how frequent flooding in her family’s basement led to mold growth. As someone who had already been subjected to the poor air quality, much of which is caused by the same pollutants that lead to climate change, mold exposure exacerbated her existing asthma symptoms, causing frequent flare ups. Indoor air quality is a significant health determinant. In recent studies, mold presence was correlated with flooding in homes.

About 5 years ago Mia, a high schooler from Kalamazoo Michigan, was bitten by a tick and subsequently developed Lyme disease.

 

Unfortunately, as is often the case, there was a delay in getting a definitive diagnosis,  which delayed optimal treatment. Ultimately, she received care outside of Michigan for post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome. Her symptoms persist today and resulted in several month-long school absences in at least 2 subsequent years. She continues to require medication to treat symptoms. Recognizing the increasing incidence of Lyme disease related to our changing climate, she dedicates a significant amount of her free time to climate advocacy.

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You can hear Mia tell her own story here. 

Marisela works as an emergency nurse in Detroit. During one of the coldest winters she’s experienced in her life there was a severe power outage. This caused many people to use unsafe methods of staying warm, like grills and generators, which led to a surge of carbon monoxide poisoning cases. The ER was quickly overwhelmed, and to handle the overflow, they set up a separate tent outside for patients. In her own words:

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"The tent was a lifesaving necessity but also a sobering reminder of how quickly emergencies can escalate during extreme weather events.

Seeing that situation unfold firsthand changed my perspective on climate-related issues. Power outages and freezing temperatures aren't just inconveniences—they're public health crises. When people lose access to safe heating, they take desperate risks....."

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