Public Health, Energy & Climate Change

A survey of Maryland residents in 2013 found that air pollution is viewed as the top personal health risk and that a majority of residents believe climate change is already harming people in the United States. The study highlights a strong public preference for renewable energy sources over fossil fuels and nuclear power due to health concerns. It also reveals that residents with multiple pre-existing medical conditions are more likely to perceive themselves as vulnerable to climate-related health impacts. Additionally, the report notes high public support for government prioritisation of protecting public water supplies and human health from environmental threats.

• Air pollution is identified as the primary personal health risk by Maryland residents, with 70% stating it is a major or moderate risk. This concern is most acute in the urban corridor between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, where 35% of residents cite it as a major risk.
• A majority of Maryland residents (52%) believe that people in the United States are already being harmed by climate change, a figure significantly higher than the national average of 34% reported in April 2013. The most anticipated health problems resulting from climate change in the state are respiratory problems (68%), storm-related injuries (58%), and heat stroke (52%).
• Maryland residents perceive renewable energy sources as significantly healthier than traditional power sources. Solar, offshore wind, and land-based wind were all rated as "not at all harmful" by 58% to 60% of respondents. In contrast, coal (68%), oil (59%), and nuclear power (58%) were rated as somewhat or very harmful to health.
• There is a correlation between a household's actual medical vulnerability and its perceived vulnerability to climate change. Residents with more than one medical condition that increases vulnerability (such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, or obesity) were more likely to report being "very vulnerable" (22%) compared to those with one condition (14%) or none (6%).
• Extreme weather is widely viewed as a community health risk, with 79% of Marylanders stating it posed a risk in the past year. Consequently, there is strong support for government intervention, with 86% of residents believing the protection of public water supplies and 80% believing the protection of people's health should be high priorities.
• Public perception of the health risks associated with natural gas varies by extraction method; natural gas extracted via hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") is viewed as more harmful (44%) than other sources of natural gas (29%).

APA

Akerlof, K., Maibach, E. W., & Mitchell, C. S. (2013). Public Health, Energy & Climate Change. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Public-health-Energy-and-Climate-change-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents-2.pdf

Chicago

Akerlof, Karen, Edward W. Maibach, and Clifford S. Mitchell. Public Health, Energy & Climate Change. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2013. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Public-health-Energy-and-Climate-change-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Akerlof |first1=Karen |last2=Maibach |first2=Edward W. |last3=Mitchell |first3=Clifford S. |title=Public Health, Energy & Climate Change |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=2013 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Public-health-Energy-and-Climate-change-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents-2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{akerlof2013public, author = {Akerlof, Karen and Maibach, Edward W. and Mitchell, Clifford S.}, title = {{Public Health, Energy \& Climate Change}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2013}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Public-health-Energy-and-Climate-change-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }