The triple burden of disease due to heavy rainfall in the low-middle-income countries: a scoping review

Abstract Background Climate change has significantly impacted on human health. Excessive rainfall due to climate change was found to be a risk factor of the burden of disease and injuries. Therefore, this review aims to determine the burden of disease, including CDs, NCDs, and Injuries due to heavy rainfall in middle-income countries due to climate change. Methods This scoping review includes the published literature from January 2011 to December 2022 (12 years). A comprehensive search for articles was performed through PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science, employing a combination of keywords and Boolean functions. The articles were imported into the referencing software EndNote, and duplicate data files were subsequently eliminated. Two authors independently conducted article screening and data extraction. A total of 26 articles were included in the scoping review. The data extraction method was narrative synthesis and description. Results Communicable diseases such as Influenza and Malaria were more prevalent during the rainy season. Increased rainfall also contributes to an increased number of road traffic accidents. Flooding due to heavy rainfall is another health risk, especially in LMICs. The acute impacts of flooding include drowning, heart attacks, and hypothermia. Collateral damage from flooding includes injuries, infections, water-borne diseases, respiratory diseases, and mental health concerns. Conclusion Strategies and public health measures should be planned to reduce this burden. Also, policies and procedures should be developed to prevent such climate change concerns.