Work

234 Living in socio-environmental adversities: exploring health, migration and the climate crisis in Santiago, Chile

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: PTH 9: Miscellaneous 2, B302 (FCSH), September 5, 2025, 11:30 - 12:24 Migrants in urban areas in developing countries are among the most vulnerable populations to the impacts of the climate crisis. Already facing structural inequities, they must cope with limited access to stable housing, essential services, and climate-resilient infrastructure. This paper explores the relationships between health, migration, and the climate crisis, focusing on the urban informal settlement Toma Nuevo Amanecer in Santiago de Chile. Using a qualitative approach involving 22 residents, we examined health vulnerabilities and community strategies in response to climate crisis conditions. We addressed the effects of extreme weather events on migrant populations, such as landslides, heat and cold waves, fires, floods, and air pollution. The settlement’s location on unsafe land and poor infrastructure exacerbates residents’ social and health vulnerabilities, including emerging illnesses, mental health impacts, and inadequate resources to cope with climate events like fires and extreme weather. This underscores the critical role of urban environments in promoting health, well-being, and resilience while also guiding the development of more effective strategies to address the climate crisis challenges in vulnerable migrant populations.

Source: European Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaf180.303

Authors: Teresita Rocha-Jimenez, Loreto Watkins, Estela Blanco, Javiera Barraza, Alejadra Diaz de Leon, Miguel Perez