Weathering The Storms: CEHHS Prof Sampson Works To Address Climate Change In Detroit

Read full article HERE

How does a city grappling with how to thrive in the present day begin to think about what it will look like 50 years down the road?

That was a question the Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice (DWEJ) wanted answered when it assembled the Detroit Climate Action Collaborative (DCAC) in 2011, a largely volunteer initiative to bring government, industry, academia, and the community together to address the effects of climate change on the city.

“Understandably, a lot of people don’t have the time and the resources to be thinking about climate change, but, as a society, I don’t think we have a choice in the matter,” said Natalie Sampson, University of Michigan-Dearborn assistant professor of health and human services. “It’s exciting to see [DWEJ Policy Director] Kimberly Hill Knot and the environmental justice community pick up this topic and run with it.”

Sampson sits on the DCAC steering committee and chairs the public health work group. She hopes to get decision-makers to think about how public health and climate change are connected. With climate change, southeast Michigan will likely experience increased temperatures and more heavy precipitation events. This has implications for health—think of how heat waves can trigger respiratory issues or how flooded basements can expose people to waterborne diseases.

“The core mission of public health fits in with getting ready for these events,” she said. “If we have these extreme weather events, what does that mean for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents? If we’re behind on this issue, we’re going to further amplify disparities.”

DCAC has led focus groups and community outreach activities to make sure their work reflects the needs, resources, and knowledge of Detroiters and the DCAC’s partners. Across the city, many related community development and environmental initiatives have been underway for years.

To address climate change, Sampson said, “We have to think about how we can put systems in place to support citywide efforts, as well as the good work that is already happening in Detroit’s neighborhoods.”

The DCAC is working on a climate action plan that will begin to address those needs in ways that reflect existing research. The plan—similar to plans developed in more than 600 cities nationwide—will document the city’s current greenhouse gas emissions levels and detail strategies on how to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

DCAC published initial accomplishments in the Michigan Journal of Sustainability and will release the climate action plan this spring. The group also plans to continue to work with its many partners and Detroit residents to raise awareness of climate change and its impact on the city.

Student Highlight: Why You Should Consider Public Health or Community Health Education...

Hello! My name is Raymond Lynem and I am a senior at UM-Dearborn in the Health Policy Studies Program in the College of Arts, Sciences, & Letters. Throughout my time here I have developed an interest in the interdependent relationship of health systems and the overall health of populations. Whether it is studying the social determinants of health (e.g. income, environment, education) or comparing the outcomes of different segments of the population, these are all issues that call for the proper management of population health.

My journey to the HPS program was somewhat indirect but has helped to give me a much better perspective on health care delivery and the current system utilized by the United States. Just a few years ago my intentions were to pursue a nursing degree with the hopes of becoming a nurse anesthetist. After a few science courses and gaining some very necessary experience within health care, my interests quickly shifted. Since starting my undergraduate degree, I have been privileged to work as a nursing assistant, perform research at the UM Cancer Center in Ann Arbor, and learn the importance of pathology in health care delivery as a lab assistant on California’s central coast. This past summer I also had the opportunity to intern at CHE Trinity Health in Livonia as a student in the University of Michigan Summer Enrichment Program (SEP).SEP provides students with the experience of a lifetime and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a career in public health. Each of these experiences have given me a unique perspective on the health care system and I hope to continue to build upon this moving forward.

UM-Dearborn, and the HPS program in particular, provides students with an opportunity to grow and expand upon a desire to help others through health care but on a broader level. The policies that government enacts have a large impact on the nation and it’s communities. One of the most recent examples of this is the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which aims to create access to health care for millions of Americans that is both affordable and of good quality. With the ACA and the many other changes it will produce, the need for policy experts and health administrators cannot be overstated.

As we move forward, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on these issues with a unique focus on health inequities and population health. I hope to shed light on different aspects of health care and any new experiences I may have. I will also be writing about the activities of the Public Health Student Society (PHSS), a student club that all health students should consider joining as well as UM-Dearborn’s new Health and Human Services programs, Public Health and Community Health Education, while being joined by other student bloggers interested in spreading the word about public health!