Abstract
BackgroundThe Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) provides air quality and health information such that the public can implement health protective behaviours (reducing and/or rescheduling outdoor activity) and decrease exposure to outdoor air pollution. The AQHI’s health messages account for increased risk associated with “at risk” populations (i.e. young children, elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions) who rely on health care and service providers for guidance. Using Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations theory, our objective with respect to health care and service providers and their respective “at risk” populations was to explore: 1) level of AQHI knowledge; 2) factors influencing AQHI adoption and; 3) strategies that may increase uptake of AQHI, according to city divisions and socioeconomic status (SES).MethodsSemi-structured face-to-face interviews with health care (Registered Nurses and Certified Respiratory Educators) and service providers (Registered Early Childhood Educators) and focus groups with their respective “at risk” populations explored barriers and facilitators to AQHI adoption. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Each transcript was analyzed using an Interpretive Description approach to identify themes. Analyses were informed by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations theory.ResultsFifty participants (6 health care and service providers, 16 parents, 13 elderly, 15 people with existing respiratory conditions) contributed to this study. AQHI knowledge, AQHI characteristics and perceptions of air quality and health influenced AQHI adoption. AQHI knowledge centred on numerical reliance and health protective intent but varied with SES. More emphasis on AQHI relevance with respect to health benefits was required to stress relative advantage over other indices and reduce index confusion. AQHI reporting at a neighbourhood scale was recognized as addressing geographic variability and uncertainty in perceived versus measured air quality impacting health. Participants predominantly expressed that they relied on sensory cues (i.e. feel, sight, taste) to determine when to implement health protective behaviours. Time constraints were identified as barriers; whereas local media reporting and wearable devices were identified as facilitators to AQHI adoption.ConclusionIncreasing knowledge, emphasizing relevance, and reporting AQHI information at a neighbourhood scale via local media sources and wearable devices may facilitate AQHI adoption while accounting for SES differences.
Highlights
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) provides air quality and health information such that the public can implement health protective behaviours and decrease exposure to outdoor air pollution
Three broad categories evolved from analysis of the transcripts, including AQHI knowledge, factors influencing AQHI adoption and strategies to increase AQHI uptake
Participants expressed that they relied on sensory cues over real-time measured and reported air quality information to implement health protective behaviours, with this sensory cue precedence acting as a barrier to AQHI adoption
Summary
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) provides air quality and health information such that the public can implement health protective behaviours (reducing and/or rescheduling outdoor activity) and decrease exposure to outdoor air pollution. The AQHI’s health messages account for increased risk associated with “at risk” populations (i.e. young children, elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory and/or cardiovascular conditions) who rely on health care and service providers for guidance. The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a risk communication tool developed to provide hourly air quality and health information such that the public can implement health protective behaviours, such as reducing and/or rescheduling outdoor activity and decrease exposure to outdoor air pollution [10]. The AQHI is a relatively easy to understand 10-point scale (low risk 1-3, medium risk 4-6, high risk 7-10, very high risk greater than 10) [10] which incorporates health messages according to health risk categories and accounts for the increased risk of “at risk” populations as presented in Table 1 [10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
