Climate Change and chronic disease study
UTAS School of Human Life Sciences researcher, Sibella King and her co-researchers are currently investigating the association between exposure to extreme temperature variations and health consequences for individuals with underlying chronic disease such as Type 2 Diabetes.
Participants aged over 18 years who are either healthy or have Type 2 diabetes are sought to take part in the study.
Climate Climate change scientists predict increases in global temperature of 1.5 to 5.8 degrees by 2100 which may lead to a greater incidence of, and variability in extreme weather events in the future. Repeated exposure to such extreme temperature variations may have serious health consequences for individuals with underlying chronic disease.
Ms King’s study seeks to provide insight into how environmental stress affects central blood pressure and blood coagulation in healthy people, and in people with Type 2 Diabetes.
With increasing risk of extreme weather events, such at heatwaves and unseasonal cold snaps predicted as a result of climate change, results from this study will benefit people most at risk during such events, such as those suffering from chronic disease, the elderly, or workers in extreme environments, for example military personnel and municipal workers.
"Exposure to sudden extreme variations in temperature and humidity cause changes to your circulation which aim to maintain your body’s blood pressure and temperature," Ms King said.
"Heat exposure dilates the skin’s blood vessels and increases the heart rate to maintain falling blood pressure whilst exposure to cold constricts them and is accompanied by increased blood pressure. These effects are thought to partially explain the higher incidence of heart attacks seen in winter and there is also evidence of higher rates of stroke in summer and winter due to changes in blood coagulation (clotting) with extreme temperatures."
Ms King is currently recruiting participants for this study over the age of 18 years who are either healthy or have Type 2 Diabetes and are available to attend five testing sessions in Launceston over a period of two to five weeks.
Interested volunteers should contact Sibella King on 6324 3688 or email Sibella.King@utas.edu.au