Citation
(2011), "Reframing climate change as a public health issue in the USA", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 3 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijccsm.2011.41403bag.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Reframing climate change as a public health issue in the USA
Article Type: News from the net From: International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Volume 3, Issue 2
Climate change is taking a toll on human health, and some leaders in the public health community in the USA have urged their colleagues to give voice to its health implications. Previous research has shown that Americans are only dimly aware of the health implications of climate change, yet the literature on issue framing suggests that providing a novel frame – such as human health – may be potentially useful in enhancing public engagement.
This study “Reframing climate change as a public health issue: an exploratory study of public reactions” included an exploratory study of people’s reactions to a public health-framed short essay on climate change in the USA. US adult respondents, stratified by six previously identified audience segments, read the essay and were asked to highlight in green or pink any portions of the essay they found “especially clear and helpful” or alternatively “especially confusing or unhelpful”.
The research concluded that presentations about climate change that encourage people to consider its human health relevance appear likely to provide many Americans with a useful and engaging new frame of reference. Information about the potential health benefits of specific mitigation-related policy actions appears to be particularly compelling. The researchers, therefore, suggest that the public health community has an important perspective to share about climate change, a perspective that makes the problem more personally relevant, significant and understandable to members of the public. Details on the study can be seen at: www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/299