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Can Women Physicians Save Mother Earth?

— We're uniquely positioned within the climate crisis

MedpageToday
A computer rendering of planet Earth surrounded by wisps of flame.

Irrefutable evidence has been building for decades that climate change is negatively affecting communities and patients around the world. This impacts health both directly -- such as increased PM2.5 leading to cardiovascular disease or trauma from extreme weather events -- and indirectly -- such as food and water insecurity, climate migration, and civil conflicts.

Within this landscape of climate change, : we are differentially and severely strained by climate change, and simultaneously, we play a key role in adaptation and climate change mitigation in both the developed and .

The Intersection of Women and Climate Science

Notably, the historical foundations of climate science were actually first set by a woman. , a distant relative of Sir Isaac Newton, was an American scientist and strong advocate for women's rights. In 1856, she published findings on how carbon dioxide absorbs solar heat, pinpointing the driving force behind climate change. Because of her gender and lack of expensive equipment and advanced education, the findings were disregarded until John Tyndall, an Irish physicist, published similar findings 3 years later. In 1962, , a book on the pesticide DDT by Rachel Carson, a marine biologist, launched the modern U.S. environmental movement. Grassroots movements like the , a women-led series of widely publicized protests against deforestation in India, explicitly linked environmental protection with the health of communities.

In the climate movement thus far, many of the strongest and most energetic voices have come from female physicians, from Mona Sarfaty, MD, MPH, to . , an anesthesiologist, has conducted pioneering research in healthcare sustainability. The lead crisis in Flint, Michigan was uncovered due to the single-mindedness and persistence of a pediatrician, Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH. , is a pediatrician and a four-star admiral who serves as the 17th Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS. She has been a powerful advocate for bringing health and climate change to the fore.

Influential state groups, such as Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action, have sprung up under the leadership of women physicians like Samantha Ahdoot, MD. Na'Taki Osborne Jelks, PhD, MPH, has been working to educate on the roots of environmental justice. Educators such as Rebecca Philipsborn, MD, Aparna Bole, MD, Cecilia Sorensen, MD, Arianne Teherani, PhD, and countless others are integrating health and climate change content into medical education.

Research and statements from medical societies have helped highlight the heightened impact of the climate movement on women. , , and the have called attention to the unequal effects on disadvantaged and vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women. has called out direct effects of climate change -- including negative obstetric outcomes such as preterm birth, stillbirths, and low birthweight from heat and pollution, and malnutrition with desertification and lower nutrient yield of crops -- as well as indirect effects, such as an increase in sexual violence, lack of reproductive control, and poor mental health.

The Unique Abilities of Women Physicians

While the science supports what we as clinicians see in our daily practice, real results require that the research is applied and integrated in practice. The voices of women physicians are uniquely powerful at transforming words on a page into action. Many speak from a place of understanding what it's like not having your voice heard or having a seat at the decision-making table.

Even though the number of women physicians has increased, there is still a paucity of women in physician leadership roles. after the last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted the persisting need to include the expertise and voices of women and to reduce barriers to advancement in the climate science field. There's a clear need and opportunity for women to lead.

When it comes to the role of clinicians in the climate movement, women physicians -- as leaders, trusted voices, and experienced scientists -- can be effective advocates for their patients and communities. They tend to with more focus in primary care, including geriatric or pediatric patients; they see more medically complex patients; and they spend more time during each patient encounter, addressing the (SDH) that undergird 80% of patient outcomes.

Notably, climate change is a risk multiplier among the SDHs. Women physicians tend to pay more attention to psychosocial and family history and emphasize preventative medicine. These differences in practice result in and are exactly the skills needed to tackle the complex intersection of health and climate change.

Of course, a groundswell of women physicians are already taking action. They are using their knowledge and compassion to help underserved and vulnerable patients. Women physicians are uniquely positioned to utilize a more holistic, systems-approach to health and climate change, which is needed for such a complex problem.

Intellectual curiosity and humility are critical to tackling a problem as unwieldy as climate change. Collaboration -- a strength of women leaders -- and coordination across health systems, government systems, and social systems are critical. In academic medicine, we can educate the next generation of physicians, equipping them with the skills they will need in a changing environment.

The story of climate change is a story of systematic injustice, a story women are historically closer to. We should all take up the banner of this evolving threat. The decisions we make intimately affect our loved ones, our patients, and our communities. Women physicians can be a powerful presence to champion public health, and we should recognize the importance of our voice in advocating for change.

Elizabeth Cerceo, MD, is an academic hospitalist and Chair of Health and Public Policy for the American College of Physicians, New Jersey Chapter. The ideas expressed in this article are solely her own and do not express the views or opinions of her employer or the American College of Physicians, New Jersey Chapter.