Flood hazards and health: responding to present and future risks

The first detailed discussion of the worldwide health implications of flooding and future flood risk Combines global reviews of existing knowledge with detailed case study material from North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Written in an accessible, jargon-free style: ideal for policymakers and students With the tragedy of New Orleans still the focus of the worlds media, this highly topical book combines rigorous analysis of the human health impacts of flooding with an appraisal of how individuals and society respond to those risks. The first detailed discussion of the global health implications of flooding and future flood risk, the book sets these findings in light of potential future increases in flood hazard as a result of climate change. The volume brings together findings from epidemiological, environmental, social, and institutional studies, with analysis rooted in an approach that emphasizes the developmental as well as environmental causes of flood risk and the socially differentiated nature of vulnerability and coping capacity. The first part of the book sets out the scope of the issues and provides a detailed discussion of the global health impacts of floods and how humans respond to the health risks posed.