Abstract
We investigated the sex-related differences in thermoregulatory behavior and heat-stress cognition of adults during a hot and humid summer. A total of 2,653 adults (1,341 males and 1,312 females), who resided in Seoul and Busan, participated in our online surveys from late June to August 2021. Web-bulb globe temperatures (WBGT) were monitored in Seoul and Busan at the same time as the online surveys. Data from the survey and the WBGT values were paired for analysis. The results showed that the WBGT in summer was 24.6 ± 2.4℃. Thermal comfort, the WBGT level when feeling hot in summer, self-identified heat tolerance, threshold temperature of hot weather perceived (30.1℃), activities (2 Met), and clothing insulation (0.4 clo) showed no sex differences. However, significant sex-related differences were found in the following : females perceived themselves as being more vulnerable to cold, sweating less, having a higher threshold temperature for cold weather, preferring higher indoor temperature, catching colds in summer and winter, using more extra clothes, using fans less during sleep, and taking fewer cold showers during summer than males (all Ps 0.05). These results indicated that the sex-related differences during summer could be associated with differences in cold perception or cold tolerance, rather than heat perception or heat tolerance because most sex-related differences were found in the items related to environments with indoor cooling during summer.
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