Predictors Associated with Health-Related Heat Risk Perception of Urban Citizens in Germany.

Sabrina Beckmann,Michael Hiete

doi:10.3390/ijerph17030874

Abstract

The rising probability of extremely high temperatures and an increasing number of consecutive hot days caused by climate change—combined with the impact of these high temperatures on human health—is widely discussed in the literature. There are calls for the development of heatwave adaptation measures by governmental and scientific institutions. In this research, the predictors of health-related heat risk perception of urban citizens in Augsburg, Germany, were investigated. An online survey was conducted with 468 citizens, asking about their heat risk perception, knowledge about heat risks, and demographic data and health information. Statistical methods (Spearman correlation, unpaired t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression) were used to determine which factors were significant and relevant. The results show that the knowledge of heat risks, heat risk sensitivity and an external locus of control are the most important factors for heat risk perception. The health implication score and chronic disease show significant effects in descriptive statistics. Furthermore, younger people showed the highest heat risk perception of all age groups. Surprisingly, income, education, living alone and gender did not play a role in heat risk perception. The findings imply a need for better and intensified heat risk communication in urban areas—especially among elderly people—and thus are important for creating acceptance towards heat wave risks, which is a prerequisite of willingness to adapt.

Highlights

The rising probability of extremely high outdoor temperatures, more consecutive hot days and of droughts in the coming years has already been demonstrated by international research in the last decade [1]
The findings of the statistical analysis regarding the factors associated with heat risk perception, followed by the results of the factors associated with knowledge about heat risks, are shown
The increasing number of consecutive hot days in Central Europe will lead to a greater necessity for heat adaptation measures, especially among urban citizens, who belong to the most vulnerable groups

Summary

Introduction

The rising probability of extremely high outdoor temperatures, more consecutive hot days and of droughts in the coming years has already been demonstrated by international research in the last decade [1]. The extreme heatwaves in Europe during summer 2003, which caused 70,000 people to die prematurely [2], as well as the hot summers in 2018 and 2019, which caused record temperatures all over Europe [3] fostered interdisciplinary research worldwide about the impact of heat on human health and possible adaptation measures. UHIs are caused by increased heat absorption and the capture of heat by paved environments and concrete buildings during daytime and a slow heat release in the night [9]. This slow temperature decline is a problem for the inhabitants of a city, as shown in a study from eastern India, where heatwaves are causing immense health problems. Heatwaves have been found to induce physical and psychological health impacts, such as anxiety, depression and aggression, having diverse effects on different community groups [11,12]

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