title: Assessment of Climate-sensitive Infectious Diseases in the Federated States of Micronesia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The health impacts of climate change are an issue of growing concern in the Pacific region. Prior to 2010, no formal, structured, evidence-based approach had been used to identify the most significant health risks posed by climate change in Pacific island countries. During 2010 and 2011, the World Health Organization supported the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in performing a climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment. This paper summarizes the priority climate-sensitive health risks in FSM, with a focus on diarrheal disease, its link with climatic variables and the implications of climate change.
  
  
  METHODS
  The vulnerability and adaptation assessment process included a review of the literature, extensive stakeholder consultations, ranking of climate-sensitive health risks, and analysis of the available long-term data on climate and climate-sensitive infectious diseases in FSM, which involved examination of health information data from the four state hospitals in FSM between 2000 and 2010; along with each state's rainfall, temperature and El Niño-Southern Oscillation data. Generalized linear Poisson regression models were used to demonstrate associations between monthly climate variables and cases of climate-sensitive diseases at differing temporal lags.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infectious diseases were among the highest priority climate-sensitive health risks identified in FSM, particularly diarrheal diseases, vector-borne diseases and leptospirosis. Correlation with climate data demonstrated significant associations between monthly maximum temperature and monthly outpatient cases of diarrheal disease in Pohnpei and Kosrae at a lag of one month and 0 to 3 months, respectively; no such associations were observed in Chuuk or Yap. Significant correlations between disease incidence and El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycles were demonstrated in Kosrae state.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Analysis of the available data demonstrated significant associations between climate variables and climate-sensitive infectious diseases. This information should prove useful in implementing health system and community adaptation strategies to avoid the most serious impacts of climate change on health in FSM.
authors: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia.
authors: Lachlan
authors: L
authors: McIver
authors: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University , 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523 Japan.
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Hashizume
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University , Building 221, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Korea 151-742.
authors: Ho
authors: H
authors: Kim
authors: University of Tsukuba , 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0006, Japan.
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Honda
authors: Department of Health and Social Affairs , P.O. Box PS 70 Palikir, Pohnpei 96941, Federated States of Micronesia.
authors: Moses
authors: M
authors: Pretrick
authors: World Health Organization , Sankat Chak Tomouk, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Iddings
authors: World Health Organization , 4th Floor, Aopi Centre, Waigani Drive, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
authors: Boris
authors: B
authors: Pavlin
keywords: Federated States of Micronesia; climate; infectious diseases