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Table 3 Relevance of health effects for Dutch climate adaptation policy

From: Health risks of climate change: An assessment of uncertainties and its implications for adaptation policies

Effect:

Relevancea

Pointsb

Classc

  

1

2

3

4

5

  

1

Temperature: Heat-related mortality

6

2

1

  

41

IV

2

Temperature: Heat-related cardiovascular problems

1

 

2

  

11

III

3

Temperature: Heat-related respiratory problems

1

1

 

1

 

11

III

4

Temperature: Heat-related stress and sleep disturbance

1

    

5

II

5

Temperature: Cold-related mortality

      

I

6

Temperature: Cold-related diseases

      

I

7

Temperature: Drought-related exposure to contaminants

      

I

8

Temperature: Shortages of drinking water

    

1

1

II

9

Temperature: Dehydration

 

2

   

8

II

10

Allergies: Asthma

  

1

 

1

4

II

11

Allergies: Allergic eczema

      

I

12

Allergies: Hay fever: duration of pollen season

 

2

 

1

2

12

III

13

Allergies: Hay fever: pollen types, abundance and allergenicity

 

2

1

  

11

III

14

Pests: Wasps

      

I

15

Pests: Oak processionary caterpillar

 

1

   

4

II

16

Vector-borne: Native vector-borne diseases

1

1

  

1

10

II

17

Vector-borne: Incidents of non-native vector-borne diseases

1

2

2

1

 

21

IV

18

Vector-borne: Epidemics of non-native vector-borne diseases

2

  

2

 

14

III

19

Food/water-borne: Food poisoning

   

1

 

2

II

20

Food/water-borne: Legionnaires Disease

    

1

1

II

21

Food/water-borne: Contamination of swimming/recreation water

   

1

2

4

II

22

Air quality: Respiratory problems due to ground-level ozone

  

1

2

 

7

II

23

Air quality: Respiratory problems due to particulate matter

      

I

24

Air quality: Air quality-related cardiovascular problems

   

1

1

3

II

25

Flood/storm: Flood-related mortality

1

 

1

1

 

10

II

26

Flood/storm: Flood-related infectious diseases

      

I

27

Flood/storm: Flood-related exposure to dangerous substances and contaminants

  

1

  

3

II

28

Flood/storm: Flood-related respiratory problems

      

I

29

Flood/storm: Flood-related mental health problems

 

1

  

2

6

II

30

Flood/storm: Storm-related mortality and injury

      

I

31

UV: Cataract

      

I

32

UV: Skin cancer

  

2

  

6

II

33

UV: Weakening of the immune system

      

I

34

OTHER: societal disruption elsewhere

1

    

5

II

  1. aThe number of times an effect has been selected as 1st, 2nd, etc. most important by the participants. bThe point total, where every score of 1st is 5 points, 2nd is 4 points, etc. cThe ‘Relevance Class’ resulting from the Points is indicated as: I: 0 points, II: 1–10 points, III: 11–20 points, IV: ≥21 points.
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