… In our new report, Public Perceptions of the Health Consequences of Global Warming, we find that Americans are generally unaware of potential health consequences of global warming. When asked what global warming-related health problems, if any, Americans are experiencing, only about one in four respondents (27%) were able to name at least one health problem known to be related to global warming. …
The survey also found that only one in three Americans (32%) correctly understands that global warming disproportionally harms the most vulnerable members of our society. Young children, the elderly, lower-income Americans, the sick, racial and ethnic minorities – these are just some groups of Americans that are especially vulnerable to health impacts of global warming. Most Americans don’t yet know that climate change threatens human health. This suggests the need for a public health education campaign to help Americans understand the health risks of climate change. CONT.
George Mason U. Center for Climate Change Communication & Yale Project on Climate Change Communication