Socio-economic and public health impacts of climate change and water availability in Aral District, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan

Abstract

The research aimed to investigate the impacts of climate change and water availability on the socio-economic aspects and overall health of the population in Aral District of Kyzylorda Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study focused on the following indicators: demographic characteristics of fertility, mortality (total, infant, maternal), natural population growth and life expectancy, population health indicators, disease incidence growth due to adverse ecology and harsh climate in 2005-2019. In addition, a sociological survey was conducted (August 31-September 10) in 15 settlements inside the study area that included 120 people. The survey aimed to collect feedback from the district residents on their general wellbeing and health status. The questionnaires and survey allowed establishing that overall the residents in the study area were satisfied with their level of income, did not associate their health condition with climate change, and did not intend to migrate elsewhere. In other words, in Aral District of Kyzylorda Region population migration occurs mainly due to the desire to obtain secondary and higher education, as well as improve housing conditions. The water supply in the study area showed no significant regression relation with climate change due to the installation of water pumps and delivery of drinking water by tank trucks. The most important finding is that – contrary to the initial hypothesis – based on the survey outcomes, the district demonstrated a stable increase in population due to births and immigration. Thus, according to this study Kazakhstan’s section of the Aral Sea Region manifests no catastrophic situation.