1. Family Medicine and Climate Change
American Academy of Family Physicians
Kait Perry, MPH
April 28th, 2019

2. Why Family Medicine? Family Medicine is the front line of primary care
Family Physicians care for all ages and all genders
Family Physicians are primed to see the effects of climate change on health in their patients
Family Physicians are engaged in their communities and are passionate about addressing health disparities and inequities
1 in 5 office visits are conducted by family physicians (192 million visits)
48% more than the next most visited specialty
More proportionately distributed than any other specialty across the US
“cradle to grave” at all points of their life for any condition, chronic illnesses which may be most impacted by climate change (asthma, COPD, obesity, nutrition,
Serves as the cornerstone for integrated care
Focus on care team
Seeing patients across their lifespan gives important context to see change over time

3. Policy and Advocacy Expanded official AAFP policy Advocacy
Stronger language opposing restrictions to public access to environmental health research data
Call for further research to continue to inform practice, evidence-based medicine
Advocacy
Clean Power Plan
Asbestos; Significant New Rule
Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule
Expanded policy from air quality and climate change to include more comprehensive and specific language about environmental health and climate change, including:
Opposition to any federal or state government action to reduce public access to environmental health research data
Supporting policies to research and manage toxic environmental exposures

4. Education and Resources
New Partnerships
University of Chicago Illinois School of Public Health
CDC Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
New and Updated Resources
Focus on Social Determinants of Health
Environmental Health and Climate Change, Medical Society Consortium on Climate Change and Health
Disaster preparedness materials
Member Interest Group (MIG)
UIC – building resilience against climate change effects (BRACE), CC edu
CDC Agency for Toxic Substances – physician facing materials/fact sheets re: exposure FP’s will see in their office
MIG – founded 2019, 84 members. Rearing and ready to go. MIGs give members the ability to raise their voices actively and collectively to AAFP leadership, governance crews.

5. Looking Forward National Research Network
Climate change and vector-borne illness
Impact of climate change on aging populations
Exploring meteorological events and corresponding health impacts
Ramifications of climate change on practice
Emphasizing the impact of climate change and health
Communications
Education
Resources
Funding opportunities
Senior Data Scientist – Beth Callen, also working on going to all national parks and as many national monuments as possible, very invested in climate change and environmental health. PhD in meteorology and stats
News
Working with CME to get something going
Responding to members wants and needs
Searching for funding opportunities

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