Climate change effects in older people's health: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: Climate change has serious consequences for the morbidity and mortal-ity of older adults.Objective: To identify the effects of climate change on older people's health.Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Instituteguidelines and the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Quantitative research and reports from or-ganizations describing the effects of climate change on older people were selected.Results: Sixty-three full-text documents were selected. Heat and air pollution werethe two factors that had the most negative effects on cardiovascular and respiratorymorbidity and mortality in older people. Mental health and cognitive function werealso affected.Conclusions: Climate change affects several health problems in older individuals,especially high temperatures and air pollution. Nursing professionals must have thenecessary skills to respond to the climate risks in older adults. More instruments arerequired to determine nursing competencies on climate change and the health of thispopulation group.