The intersection of climate change with the era of COVID-19

Abstract

The purpose of this integrative review is to examine recent literature on the intersection of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 novel coronavirus) and climate change that will lead to a greater understanding of the complexities of the urgent pandemic linked with the emerging climate crisis. A literature search for peer-reviewed, English language, literature published since the pandemic emerged was conducted using Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, and the Cochrane Library. The final sample yielded a total of 22 commentaries, editorials, discussion papers, and a research study that explicitly addressed the intersection of COVID-19 and climate change. Sixty articles emerged in the initial review of the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change with the final yield of 22 articles deemed valid for inclusion after full text review. With the emergence of COVID-19 and scholarly discourse that addresses the intersection of the pandemic with climate change, key issues emerged that intersect with policy /advocacy, social justice, and nursing's public health role in clinical practice, education, policy/advocacy, and research/scholarship. Five themes that emerged included the role of public health in COVID-19 and climate change efforts; global approach addressing human-environment issues; intersection of COVID-19 and climate change from a community and global perspective; impacts of COVID-19, climate change and the environment and professional associations and specialty organizations’ views and responsibilities with a lens on COVID-19 and climate change. Despite the importance of addressing racial inequities as well as systemic and structural racism that impacts those most affected by climate change and pandemics such as COVID-19, no literature addressed this topic. Public health nursing has a critical role in addressing climate change and the pandemic response to COVID 19 in the 21st century.