Exploring Research Opportunities at the Intersection of Planetary and Cardiovascular Health
to (registration required)
Virtual event
Hosted by NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), this unique two-day, virtual workshop on planetary and human health will explore the research opportunities at the intersection of planetary and cardiovascular health. Climate change, increased urbanization, rapid growth of the world population, and shifting land use patterns are examples of interdependent forces that impact planetary health. All can have adverse consequences on many aspects of human health, including cardiovascular health and equity. Heart disease, the most important cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of death for men and women and for most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Preventing the deterioration of and improving planetary health provides new bidirectional opportunities to improve cardiovascular health and other health problems in the United States and globally. Social determinates of health influence who will be most affected by adverse changes in planetary health and who may benefit the least from some efforts to improve planetary and cardiovascular health.
This workshop will host a transdisciplinary dialogue between experts from Planetary Health, Climate Change, Social Determinants of Health, Engineering, and Cardiovascular Health disciplines to discuss research gaps and opportunities to improve planetary and cardiovascular health. This workshop will strive to identify key scientific knowledge gaps, research methods, and opportunities at the intersection of planetary and cardiovascular health. These workshop objectives will be facilitated by discussions covering a wide range of topics, including system thinking, environmental justice, infrastructural transformations, water systems, toxic exposures, urban design, and changes in transportation systems. These topics are interconnected and essential in the development of strategies to improve cardiovascular health and advance health equity. Research methods important to achieving a better understanding of planetary and cardiovascular health will be discussed, such as leveraging big data, modeling, causal inference approaches, data tools for spatial indicators for healthy cities, and integrating health impact studies to inform policy options. There will be an interactive session on the first day of the workshop to illustrate how planetary systems and responses to policy changes can impact human health.
This page was last updated on Friday, December 8, 2023