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Awareness, Risk Perception, and Protective Behaviors for Extreme Heat and Climate Change in New York City

Author

Listed:
  • Jaime Madrigano

    (RAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202, USA)

  • Kathryn Lane

    (Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY 10013, USA)

  • Nada Petrovic

    (The Earth Institute, Columbia University, 2910 Broadway, New York, NY 10027, USA)

  • Munerah Ahmed

    (Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY 10013, USA)

  • Micheline Blum

    (Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College Survey Research, One Bernard Baruch Way, New York, NY 10010, USA)

  • Thomas Matte

    (Vital Strategies, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, USA)

Abstract

Preventing heat-related illness and death requires an understanding of who is at risk and why, and options for intervention. We sought to understand the drivers of socioeconomic disparities in heat-related vulnerability in New York City (NYC), the perceived risk of heat exposure and climate change, and barriers to protective behaviors. A random digit dial telephone survey of 801 NYC adults aged 18 and older was conducted from 22 September–1 October, 2015. Thirteen percent of the population did not possess an air conditioner (AC), and another 15% used AC never/infrequently. In adjusted models, odds of not possessing AC were greater for non-Hispanic blacks compared with other races/ethnicities, odds ratio (OR) = 2.0 (95% CI: 1.1, 3.5), and for those with low annual household income, OR = 3.1 (95% CI: 1.8, 5.5). Only 12% reported going to a public place with AC if they could not keep cool at home. While low-income individuals were less likely to be aware of heat warnings, they were more likely to be concerned that heat could make them ill and that climate change would affect their health than participants with a higher household income, OR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.0, 2.3). In NYC, lack of access to AC partially explains disparities in heat-related health outcomes. Our results point to opportunities for knowledge building and engagement on heat-health awareness and climate change adaptation that can be applied in NYC and other metropolitan areas to improve and target public health prevention efforts.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime Madrigano & Kathryn Lane & Nada Petrovic & Munerah Ahmed & Micheline Blum & Thomas Matte, 2018. "Awareness, Risk Perception, and Protective Behaviors for Extreme Heat and Climate Change in New York City," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-11, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:7:p:1433-:d:156722
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Macêdo Coelho, Yuri Cavaleiro de & de Medeiros, Priscila Sanjuan & Santos, Janaira Almeida & Araújo Lucas, Flávia Cristina, 2022. "Perception of environmental impacts of aggregate mining: A case study from the municipality of Ourém, Pará, Brazil," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Jacqueline E. Cardoza & Carina J. Gronlund & Justin Schott & Todd Ziegler & Brian Stone & Marie S. O’Neill, 2020. "Heat-Related Illness Is Associated with Lack of Air Conditioning and Pre-Existing Health Problems in Detroit, Michigan, USA: A Community-Based Participatory Co-Analysis of Survey Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-11, August.
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    5. Erika Austhof & Heidi E. Brown, 2022. "Global Warming’s Six MTurks: A Secondary Analysis of a US-Based Online Crowdsourcing Market," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-9, July.

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