Abstract
Climate change, especially as reflected in heat waves, is a rising threat worldwide. Appropriate use of cooling devices can protect people from health impacts during a heat wave. A population-based telephone survey was conducted in a representative sample of residents in Hong Kong to investigate ownership and use of domestic cooling devices, identify correlates, and examine their associations with risk perception of potential health impact of climate change. More than 90% of the 1002 respondents owned and used cooling devices at home. The majority (57.7%) perceived the potential health risk of climate change at a high level. However, risk perception had no relationship with ownership and utilization of cooling devices. Old people (≥ 65 years), the low-educated, those with low income, and those with chronic diseases were more likely not to use air conditioners when feeling hot. Our findings suggest that there are no signs showing people have taken more protective actions although half of respondents recognized climate change as a threat. Familial economic condition may be a major determinant in ownership and use of air conditioners at home. Old people and those with chronic diseases are at high risk of adverse exposure to climate change and therefore should be equipped with appropriate measures to use cooling devices.
Highlights
Climate change, mostly reflected by increased occurrences of extreme hot or cold weather, is a major public health threat to urban communities globally
Our findings suggest that the majority of Hong Kong residents have air conditioners or electric fans at home
Familial economic condition is a major determinant of ownership and use of home air conditioners
Summary
Mostly reflected by increased occurrences of extreme hot or cold weather, is a major public health threat to urban communities globally. There is no universal definition, are understood to be hot weather events that breach regional or national thresholds and last for several days (Gupta et al 2012). Climate modelling undertaken by the IPCC has suggested ‘‘a 1-in-20 year hottest day is likely to become a 1-in-2 year event by the end of the twenty-first century in most regions, except in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is likely to become a 1-in-5 year event’’ Famous heat waves occurred across Europe in August 2003 when unprecedented high temperatures for 3 weeks resulted in more than 15,000 excess deaths in France and an estimated 30,000 across Europe (Fouillet et al 2008; Robine et al 2008).
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