The Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology organised a dissemination event on 11 April 2024 to present the work carried out by the European research project HIGH HORIZONS (*Heat Indicators for Global Health Monitoring, Early Warning Systems and health facility interventions for pregnant and postpartum women, infants and young children and health workers.)
The HIGH Horizons project focuses on pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and health workers, groups heavily affected by climate change. HIGH Horizons quantify and monitor direct and indirect health impacts of extreme heat; test a personalised Early Warning System (EWS); and implement integrated adaptation-mitigation actions in health facilities.
More than 250 participated in the event (100 in-person and 156 online).
The aim of the event was to inform the medical scientific community and especially gynecologists, pediatricians, associations (medical, midwives, health visitors, etc.), mid-wives, other health professionals, pregnant women and the general public about the two studies to be conducted in Greece in the framework of High Horizon project under the coordination of the UTH Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
- The first study examines longitudinal nationwide data on thermal climate factors as well as recorded health measurements on women before and after pregnancy and their children, examining links between the two.
- The second study is a birth cohort study and will follow up 500 pregnant women and their infants until one-year old.
Experts informed about climate change and the impact it has on human health, the earth’s temperature is rising at an unprecedented rate and climate change is the greatest global threat of the 21st century that the world is facing.
Speakers explained the biological pathways and the procedures for including pregnant women and infants in the study.
The below representatives welcomed participants and delivered interventions:
- The Deputy Regional Governor of Thessaly of the Health Sector (Evangelos Apostolou)
- the Deputy Mayor of Larissa (Thomas Retsianis)
- the President of the Medical Association of Larissa (Dinos Giannakopoulos)
- the Dean of the School of Health Sciences (Konstantinos Gourgoulianis)
- the President of the Medical School (Theofilos Karachalios)
- President of the European Association of Midwives. Professor of Social Midwifery, University of Western Attica (Victoria Vivilaki)
- President of the Association of Freelance Pediatricians of Larissa, Pediatrician (Georgia Damaga)
- Prof. Messinis, Professor Emeritus of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Thessaly.
- Prof. Matthaios Speletas, Professor of Medical Immunology in University of Thessaly.
The event was recorded and is available for the UTH community via the https://vod.uth.gr/
Online Press releases in Greek:
https://www.eleftheria.gr/υγεία/item/360297-απειλή-για-έγκυες-και-νεογνά-η-κλιματική-αλλαγή.html
https://www.iatronet.gr/article/118810/ypshlh-thermokrasia-kai-egkymosynh-megalh-ellhnikh-meleth