What are the implications of climate change for speech and language therapists?
Authors: Sherratt Sue 
Published: December 2020

Background

The emerging global issue of climate change has large‐scale effects on health and well‐being, including communication disorders. The broad range of the speech and language therapy profession's scope of practice incorporates prevention, advocacy and equality in service delivery. These act as a springboard for involvement in climate change and health.

Aims

This is an appeal to speech and language therapists (SLTs) to focus and take action on this issue and its considerable effects on communication and swallowing disorders.

Methods & Procedures

This article discusses the importance of taking a public health position on prevention and equality of services to manage environmental determinants of communication and swallowing disorders. It also describes the extent to which climate change affects these disorders and exacerbates the inequality of healthcare services in low‐ and middle‐income countries.

Main Contribution

Five strategies are provided for action on fulfilling therapists’ roles in reducing the incidence, development and exacerbation of climate‐related communication and swallowing disorders, as well as the role of SLTs in acting as advocates. The case is made for expanding the scope of services to focus on prevention and service equality so as to best meet the needs of the wider community.

Conclusions & Implications

Despite other challenges currently facing SLTs, climate change and its increasing effects on communication disorders and dysphagia is difficult to ignore. SLTs owe it to their clients, the wider community, low‐ and middle‐income countries, the economy, and the future to take action.

What this paper adds

What is already known on the subject

Multiple studies published in peer‐reviewed scientific journals show that climate change is extremely likely to be due to human activities. The global effects will be higher temperatures, changes in precipitation, more droughts and heatwaves, stronger and more intense hurricanes, and a rising sea level which directly threaten the health of entire populations. Other health professions are beginning to take climate change into account in training and practice.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge

Many disorders of communication and swallowing are caused or exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Increasing temperatures, extremes of precipitation, population displacement and air pollution contribute to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, respiratory disease, malnutrition, premature birth, air‐ and water‐borne diseases, and mental illness. These may affect the communication and swallowing abilities across the lifespan, but particularly those of children and older adults.

What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?

SLTs’ roles in prevention, advocacy and education act as a starting point for involvement in climate change and health. Three practical strategies for action include educating SLTs and other health professionals on climate change and its effects on communication and swallowing, promoting awareness with clients and their families, and gathering and disseminating reliable data.