Abstract
BACKGROUND: This systematic review investigates the relationship between malaria incidence, climate variables, and deforestation in Colombia, Latin America, and the Caribbean from 2000 to 2020. Malaria, a significant public health issue in these regions, is influenced by ecological factors including climatic conditions and environmental changes, such as deforestation. METHODS: The review employs a comprehensive search strategy across PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and Scielo databases. It applies strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure the relevance and quality of selected studies, focusing on analysing the relationship between climate variables, deforestation, and malaria incidence. RESULTS: Twenty-four articles were included in this review, fourteen of which assessed the relationship between climatic variables and malaria and ten between deforestation and malaria. The analysis reveals a nuanced understanding of malaria dynamics. A significant finding is the seasonal effect of climatic variables on malaria incidence. The study notes that increased rainfall is positively correlated with malaria incidence. Similarly, warmer temperatures are associated with increased malaria risks, and malaria rates can change by 10% to 80% for every degree of temperature increase, after adjusting for altitude. The impact of deforestation on malaria is complex, with positive and negative correlations observed, depending on the remaining forest cover. CONCLUSIONS: The review highlights the multifaceted nature of malaria transmission, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches that consider both environmental and health perspectives. It underscores the importance of understanding the complex relationships between malaria incidence, climate variables, and deforestation.