| Abstract Scope |
Climate change is one of the most pressing public health challenges of the twenty-first century, disproportionately affecting children, older adults, pregnant women, individuals with chronic conditions, and low-income communities. This paper reviews scientific literature on how climate-related hazards, including extreme heat, poor air quality, and the spread of vector-borne diseases, threaten these populations and proposes a systems framework that links climate hazards, exposure pathways, vulnerability, health outcomes, and intervention strategies. Applying this framework to vector-borne disease spread in Europe, the analysis shows that warming temperatures are expanding the range of disease-carrying ticks and mosquitoes northward, exposing growing populations to Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, and emerging mosquito-borne infections at an accelerating rate. The paper evaluates intervention strategies, including surveillance systems, vector control, and public health preparedness, and finds that effective protection requires coordinated action among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and communities. This case study demonstrates how systems-based frameworks can guide climate-health adaptation. |