Drought and Health

Public Health Implications from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Drought is a natural phenomenon in which rainfall is lower than average for an extended period of time, resulting in inadequate water supply. Drought can lead to public health problems.

The possible public health implications of drought include:

• compromised quantity and quality of drinking water;
• increased recreational risks;
• effects on air quality;
• diminished living conditions related to energy, air quality, and sanitation and hygiene;
• compromised food and nutrition; and
• increased incidence of illness and disease.
• Anxiety or depression about economic losses caused by drought
• Health problems related to low water flows and poor water quality
• Health problems related to dust
• Threat to public safety from an increased number of forest and range fires

The health implications of drought are numerous and far reaching. Some drought-related health effects are experienced in the short-term and can be directly observed and measured. However, the slow rise or chronic nature of drought can result in longer term, indirect health implications that are not always easy to anticipate or monitor.

Additional Information on Health Implications of Drought from the CDC

• Water
• Food and Nutrition
• Air Quality
• Sanitation and Hygiene
• Recreational Risks
• Infectious Disease
• Chronic Disease
• Diseases Transmitted by Insects and Animals