Title
Vulnerability of indigenous health to climate change: A case study of Uganda's Batwa Pygmies
Date Issued
01 September 2012
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Abstract
The potential impacts of climate change on human health in sub-Saharan Africa are wide-ranging, complex, and largely adverse. The region's Indigenous peoples are considered to be at heightened risk given their relatively poor health outcomes, marginal social status, and resource-based livelihoods; however, little attention has been given to these most vulnerable of the vulnerable. This paper contributes to addressing this gap by taking a bottom-up approach to assessing health vulnerabilities to climate change in two Batwa Pygmy communities in rural Uganda. Rapid Rural Appraisal and PhotoVoice field methods complemented by qualitative data analysis were used to identify key climate-sensitive, community-identified health outcomes, describe determinants of sensitivity at multiple scales, and characterize adaptive capacity of Batwa health systems. The findings stress the importance of human drivers of vulnerability and adaptive capacity and the need to address social determinants of health in order to reduce the potential disease burden of climate change. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
Start page
1067
End page
1077
Volume
75
Issue
6
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencias del cuidado de la salud y servicios (administración de hospitales, financiamiento) Investigación climática
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84863534373
PubMed ID
Source
Social Science and Medicine
ISSN of the container
02779536
Sponsor(s)
We kindly thank the communities of Mukongoro, Kihembe, and Buhoma for their participation, and particularly those providing their time for interviews. Thanks also to Thomas, Obed, Margaret, Blackie, Emmanuel, Richard Mgazi, Gorilla Friends, and the staff at the Batwa Development Program. This research was supported by a project development grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada's International Research Initiative on Adaptation to Climate Change.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus