IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v15y2018i11p2498-d181466.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Perceptions of Health Risks from Hot Weather, and Coping Behaviors among Ethnic Minority Groups in Mountain Areas of China: A Case Study in the Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture

Author

Listed:
  • Hui Ye

    (School of Public Management, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Juan Ma

    (School of Public Management, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Yang Wu

    (School of Public Management, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Ying Zhang

    (School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia)

Abstract

Limited research focuses on risk perceptions of hot weather among ethnic minority groups in remote mountain areas of China. Adopting a multi-stage sampling method, this study received completed questionnaires from 643 participates in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of China in 2017 and 2018. We used multivariate logistic regression models to explore the factors affecting risk perceptions and coping behaviors with regards to hot weather. Results showed that despite a relatively high level of risk perception, the study population in the mountain areas of China had a very low level of preparedness in responding to the risks from heat, and a lack of professional health knowledge in general. In particular, 61.3% (95% CI: 57.1%−5.6%) of the participants felt increasing temperatures in recent years, 73.2% (95% CI: 69.3%−7.0%) thought extreme high temperatures would be a health threat, and 61.3% (95% CI: 57.1%−5.4%) reported physical discomfort during hot weather. However, only 12% (95% CI: 9.5%−4.5%) had the information or knowledge to stay healthy during the extreme high temperatures, and only 24.2% had (95% CI: 20.8%−7.6%) preparation. The logistic regression models suggested that ethnic group, health status, marital status, gender, and employment could affect their perceptions, which could significantly affect the adoption of coping behaviors. In conclusion, our findings have significant implications for developing policies and health education and promotion programs for ethnic minorities in remote regions to maintain good health during hot weather.

Suggested Citation

  • Hui Ye & Juan Ma & Yang Wu & Ying Zhang, 2018. "Perceptions of Health Risks from Hot Weather, and Coping Behaviors among Ethnic Minority Groups in Mountain Areas of China: A Case Study in the Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-9, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:11:p:2498-:d:181466
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/11/2498/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/11/2498/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Harlan, Sharon L. & Brazel, Anthony J. & Prashad, Lela & Stefanov, William L. & Larsen, Larissa, 2006. "Neighborhood microclimates and vulnerability to heat stress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(11), pages 2847-2863, December.
    2. Alana Hansen & Peng Bi & Monika Nitschke & Dino Pisaniello & Jonathan Newbury & Alison Kitson, 2011. "Perceptions of Heat-Susceptibility in Older Persons: Barriers to Adaptation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-15, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Haipeng Li & Jiabao Guan & Hui Ye & Haichen Yang, 2019. "A Survey of Rural Residents’ Perception and Response to Health Risks from Hot Weather in Ethnic Minority Areas in Southwest China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-10, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Susan Williams & Peng Bi & Jonathan Newbury & Guy Robinson & Dino Pisaniello & Arthur Saniotis & Alana Hansen, 2013. "Extreme Heat and Health: Perspectives from Health Service Providers in Rural and Remote Communities in South Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Lin Zhou & Zheng Xin & Li Bai & Fangjun Wan & Yongming Wang & Shaowei Sang & Shouqin Liu & Ji Zhang & Qiyong Liu, 2014. "Perceptions of Heat Risk to Health: A Qualitative Study of Professional Bus Drivers and Their Managers in Jinan, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Sharon L. Campbell & Carina C. Anderson & Amanda J. Wheeler & Stephen Cook & Tim Muster & Fay H. Johnston, 2022. "Managing Extreme Heat and Smoke: A Focus Group Study of Vulnerable People in Darwin, Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-15, October.
    4. Bo Yang & Ming-Han Li & Shujuan Li, 2013. "Design-with-Nature for Multifunctional Landscapes: Environmental Benefits and Social Barriers in Community Development," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-26, October.
    5. H. Allen Klaiber & Joshua K. Abbott & V. Kerry Smith, 2017. "Some Like It (Less) Hot: Extracting Trade-Off Measures for Physically Coupled Amenities," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(4), pages 1053-1079.
    6. Joost van Hoof & Helen Bennetts & Alana Hansen & Jan K. Kazak & Veronica Soebarto, 2019. "The Living Environment and Thermal Behaviours of Older South Australians: A Multi-Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-19, March.
    7. Fariha Hasan & Shayan Marsia & Kajal Patel & Priyanka Agrawal & Junaid Abdul Razzak, 2021. "Effective Community-Based Interventions for the Prevention and Management of Heat-Related Illnesses: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.
    8. Weihua Dong & Zhao Liu & Lijie Zhang & Qiuhong Tang & Hua Liao & Xian'en Li, 2014. "Assessing Heat Health Risk for Sustainability in Beijing’s Urban Heat Island," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(10), pages 1-24, October.
    9. Fei Li & Tan Yigitcanlar & Madhav Nepal & Kien Nguyen Thanh & Fatih Dur, 2022. "Understanding Urban Heat Vulnerability Assessment Methods: A PRISMA Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-34, September.
    10. Sara Wilkinson & Renato Castiglia Feitosa, 2015. "Retrofitting Housing with Lightweight Green Roof Technology in Sydney, Australia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-18, January.
    11. De Valck, Jeremy & Beames, Alistair & Liekens, Inge & Bettens, Maarten & Seuntjens, Piet & Broekx, Steven, 2019. "Valuing urban ecosystem services in sustainable brownfield redevelopment," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 139-149.
    12. Tao Chen & Anchang Sun & Ruiqing Niu, 2019. "Effect of Land Cover Fractions on Changes in Surface Urban Heat Islands Using Landsat Time-Series Images," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-18, March.
    13. Vaneckova, Pavla & Beggs, Paul J. & Jacobson, Carol R., 2010. "Spatial analysis of heat-related mortality among the elderly between 1993 and 2004 in Sydney, Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 293-304, January.
    14. Wei Zhang & Phil McManus & Elizabeth Duncan, 2018. "A Raster-Based Subdividing Indicator to Map Urban Heat Vulnerability: A Case Study in Sydney, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Maria Papathoma-Koehle & Catrin Promper & Roxana Bojariu & Roxana Cica & András Sik & Kinga Perge & Peter László & Erika Balázs Czikora & Alexandru Dumitrescu & Cosmin Turcus & Marius-Victor Birsan & , 2016. "A common methodology for risk assessment and mapping for south-east Europe: an application for heat wave risk in Romania," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 82(1), pages 89-109, May.
    16. Qunshan Zhao & Elizabeth A. Wentz, 2016. "A MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) Imagery for Urban Heat Island Research," Data, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-9, June.
    17. Wenwen Cheng & J. O. Spengler & Robert D. Brown, 2020. "A Comprehensive Model for Estimating Heat Vulnerability of Young Athletes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-11, August.
    18. Shalin Bidassey-Manilal & Caradee Yael Wright & Thandi Kapwata & Joyce Shirinde, 2020. "A Study Protocol to Determine Heat-Related Health Impacts among Primary Schoolchildren in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-12, July.
    19. Yuan-Bin Cai & Ke Li & Yan-Hong Chen & Lei Wu & Wen-Bin Pan, 2021. "The Changes of Heat Contribution Index in Urban Thermal Environment: A Case Study in Fuzhou," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-18, August.
    20. Leeann Kuehn & Sabrina McCormick, 2017. "Heat Exposure and Maternal Health in the Face of Climate Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-13, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:11:p:2498-:d:181466. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.