Knowledge of heat waves and practice of protective measures against it in a rural West African

Abstract

Abstract Background Heat wave has a direct linkage to global climate change and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Between March and May 2019, Nigeria experienced severe heat waves. Understanding heat waves provides an opportunity for individuals to proactively take measures to prevent its negative health impacts. However, illiteracy levels in rural Sub-Saharan Africa are higher than in urban areas.This study was therefore conducted to assess knowledge of heat waves and practice of protective measures against it in an affected rural community of Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional, community based descriptive study conducted among household heads in Nasarawan Buhari, a rural agrarian community in Nigeria. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 104 household heads, selected using systematic random sampling technique. Data was analyzed using SPSS (version 20). Results A majority of the respondents were males (79.8%) and most of them (89.4%) had poor knowledge of heat waves. Farming occupation was significantly associated with knowledge of heat waves (P = 0.025). Awareness of measures needed to protect against the negative health impacts of heat waves was also poor. Hence fluid intake and cold showers were the only protective measures used by majority of respondents to reduce effect of the extreme heat. Conclusions Both knowledge of heat waves and practice of protective measures against it were poor among respondents. A health education intervention on heat waves and how to prevent its negative health impacts was conducted in the community. Key messages Due to poor knowledge of heat waves and its negative health effects, practice of protective measures against it was poor among respondents. There is need for more public health response to address this rural public health challenge.