- Title
- Socio-economic, infrastructural and health-related risk factors associated with adverse heat-health effects reportedly experienced during hot weather in South Africa
- Creator
- Wright, Caradee Yael, Dominick, Friederike, Kapwata, Thandi, Bidassey-Manilal, Shalin, Engelbrecht, Jacobus Christoffel, Stich, Heribert, Mathee, Angela, Matooane, Mamopeli
- Subject
- Climate change, Environmental health, Heat
- Date
- 2019
- Type
- Article
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10210/403710
- Identifier
- uj:33840
- Identifier
- Citation: Wright, C.Y. et al. 2019. Socio-economic, infrastructural and health-related risk factors associated with adverse heat-health effects reportedly experienced during hot weather in South Africa.
- Identifier
- DOI:10.11604/pamj.2019.34.40.17569
- Description
- Abstract: Introduction: poor urban communities are likely to bear the brunt of climate change impacts on health and well-being. The City of Johannesburg, South Africa, is predicted to experience an average increase in ambient temperature of 4°C by 2100. Focusing on the urban environment, this study aimed to determine socio-economic, infrastructural and health-related risk factors for heat-related adverse health effects. Methods: this was a crosssectional study. Data of interest were collected using a pretested and validated questionnaire administered to parents of children attending schools participating in a school heat study. Information related to demographic, socio-economic and household-level determinants of health, which has an impact on the individual prevalence of adverse heat-health effects associated with hot weather, was collected for 136 households and 580 individuals. Results: sweating (n = 208 individuals; 35%), headache and nausea (n = 111; 19%) and weakness, fatigue and dizziness (n = 87; 15%) were the most common heat-health effects reportedly experienced by individuals (n = 580) during hot weather. Individuals who suffered from hypertension (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.34 - 4.05, p = 0.003) and individuals older than 60 years (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.27-1.99, p < 0.001) compared to other age groups were more likely to experience 'any heat-health effects'. Living in government-sponsored detached housing and in houses with asbestos roofs were associated with an increase in reported experience of 'any heat-health effects' compared to living in other housing types. Conclusion: heathealth awareness campaigns should target people suffering from pre-existing diseases and the elderly, as these groups are especially vulnerable to heat. Focus should also be given to appropriate roofing and insulation in government-sponsored housing since summertime temperatures are projected to increase.
- Language
- English
- Rights
- ©2019, authors
- Full Text
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| View Details Download | SOURCE1 | 13407_Published_paper ARTT 2019.pdf | 642 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |