IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i17p11090-d906603.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Vulnerable, Resilient, or Both? A Qualitative Study of Adaptation Resources and Behaviors to Heat Waves and Health Outcomes of Low-Income Residents of Urban Heat Islands

Author

Listed:
  • Lawrence A. Palinkas

    (Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
    Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA)

  • Michael S. Hurlburt

    (Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Cecilia Fernandez

    (Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Jessenia De Leon

    (Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Kexin Yu

    (Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Erika Salinas

    (Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Erika Garcia

    (Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA)

  • Jill Johnston

    (Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA)

  • Md. Mostafijur Rahman

    (Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA)

  • Sam J. Silva

    (Department of Earth Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Rob S. McConnell

    (Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA)

Abstract

Little is known of how low-income residents of urban heat islands engage their knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and resources to mitigate the health impacts of heat waves. In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 adults in two such neighborhoods in Los Angeles California to explore their adaptation resources and behaviors, the impacts of heat waves on physical and mental health, and threat assessments of future heat waves. Eighty percent of participants received advanced warning of heat waves from television news and social media. The most common resource was air conditioning (AC) units or fans. However, one-third of participants lacked AC, and many of those with AC engaged in limited use due primarily to the high cost of electricity. Adaptation behaviors include staying hydrated, remaining indoors or going to cooler locations, reducing energy usage, and consuming certain foods and drinks. Most of the participants reported some physical or mental health problem or symptom during heat waves, suggesting vulnerability to heat waves. Almost all participants asserted that heat waves were likely to increase in frequency and intensity with adverse health effects for vulnerable populations. Despite limited resources, low-income residents of urban heat islands utilize a wide range of behaviors to minimize the severity of health impacts, suggesting they are both vulnerable and resilient to heat waves.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence A. Palinkas & Michael S. Hurlburt & Cecilia Fernandez & Jessenia De Leon & Kexin Yu & Erika Salinas & Erika Garcia & Jill Johnston & Md. Mostafijur Rahman & Sam J. Silva & Rob S. McConnell, 2022. "Vulnerable, Resilient, or Both? A Qualitative Study of Adaptation Resources and Behaviors to Heat Waves and Health Outcomes of Low-Income Residents of Urban Heat Islands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-19, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:11090-:d:906603
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/17/11090/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/17/11090/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giuseppe Liotta & Maria Chiara Inzerilli & Leonardo Palombi & Olga Madaro & Stefano Orlando & Paola Scarcella & Daniela Betti & Maria Cristina Marazzi, 2018. "Social Interventions to Prevent Heat-Related Mortality in the Older Adult in Rome, Italy: A Quasi-Experimental Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, April.
    2. Lefevre, Carmen E. & Bruine de Bruin, Wändi & Taylor, Andrea L. & Dessai, Suraje & Kovats, Sari & Fischhoff, Baruch, 2015. "Heat protection behaviors and positive affect about heat during the 2013 heat wave in the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 282-289.
    3. Derick A. Akompab & Peng Bi & Susan Williams & Janet Grant & Iain A. Walker & Martha Augoustinos, 2013. "Heat Waves and Climate Change: Applying the Health Belief Model to Identify Predictors of Risk Perception and Adaptive Behaviours in Adelaide, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Karen O'Brien & Siri Eriksen & Lynn P. Nygaard & Ane Schjolden, 2007. "Why different interpretations of vulnerability matter in climate change discourses," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 73-88, January.
    5. 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.
    6. Pierre Valois & Denis Talbot & Maxime Caron & Marie-Pier Carrier & Alexandre J. S. Morin & Jean-Sébastien Renaud & Johann Jacob & Pierre Gosselin, 2017. "Development and Validation of a Behavioural Index for Adaptation to High Summer Temperatures among Urban Dwellers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-18, July.
    7. Ann Y. Liu & Juli M. Trtanj & Erin K. Lipp & John M. Balbus, 2021. "Toward an integrated system of climate change and human health indicators: a conceptual framework," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(3), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Guirguis, Kristen & Basu, Rupa & Al‐Delaimy, Wael K & Benmarhnia, Tarik & Clemesha, Rachel ES & Corcos, Isabel & Guzman‐Morales, Janin & Hailey, Brittany & Small, Ivory & Tardy, Alexander & Vashishtha, 2018. "Heat, Disparities, and Health Outcomes in San Diego County's Diverse Climate Zones," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series qt7hd4618z, Department of Economics, UC San Diego.
    9. Marshall Burke & Felipe González & Patrick Baylis & Sam Heft-Neal & Ceren Baysan & Sanjay Basu & Solomon Hsiang, 2018. "Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(8), pages 723-729, August.
    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. Lawrence A. Palinkas & Jessenia De Leon & Kexin Yu & Erika Salinas & Cecilia Fernandez & Jill Johnston & Md Mostafijur Rahman & Sam J. Silva & Michael Hurlburt & Rob S. McConnell & Erika Garcia, 2023. "Adaptation Resources and Responses to Wildfire Smoke and Other Forms of Air Pollution in Low-Income Urban Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-16, April.
    2. Wei Liu & Jingxuan Zhang & Long Qian, 2022. "Measuring Community Resilience and Its Determinants: Relocated Vulnerable Community in Western China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.

    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. Sam Cosaert & Adrián Nieto & Konstantinos Tatsiramos, 2023. "Temperature and Joint Time Use," CESifo Working Paper Series 10464, CESifo.
    2. Sabrina K. Beckmann & Michael Hiete, 2020. "Predictors Associated with Health-Related Heat Risk Perception of Urban Citizens in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-11, January.
    3. 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.
    4. John B. Nezlek & Marzena Cypryańska, 2023. "Prosociality and Personality: Perceived Efficacy of Behaviors Mediates Relationships between Personality and Self-Reported Climate Change Mitigation Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    5. Kedi Liu & Ranran Wang & Inge Schrijver & Rutger Hoekstra, 2024. "Can we project well-being? Towards integral well-being projections in climate models and beyond," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Tenzing, Janna & Conway, Declan, 2023. "Does the geographical footprint of Ethiopia’s flagship social protection programme align with climatic and conflict risks?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120563, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Busby, Joshua & Smith, Todd G. & Krishnan, Nisha & Wight, Charles & Vallejo-Gutierrez, Santiago, 2018. "In harm's way: Climate security vulnerability in Asia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 88-118.
    8. Sebastian Scheuer & Dagmar Haase & Volker Meyer, 2011. "Exploring multicriteria flood vulnerability by integrating economic, social and ecological dimensions of flood risk and coping capacity: from a starting point view towards an end point view of vulnera," 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. 58(2), pages 731-751, August.
    9. Tjaša Pogačar & Zala Žnidaršič & Lučka Kajfež Bogataj & Zalika Črepinšek, 2020. "Steps Towards Comprehensive Heat Communication in the Frame of a Heat Health Warning System in Slovenia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-16, August.
    10. Vitor Baccarin Zanetti & Wilson Cabral De Sousa Junior & Débora M. De Freitas, 2016. "A Climate Change Vulnerability Index and Case Study in a Brazilian Coastal City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-12, August.
    11. Díaz, Juan-José & Saldarriaga, Victor, 2023. "A drop of love? Rainfall shocks and spousal abuse: Evidence from rural Peru," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    12. Tubridy, Fiadh & Lennon, Mick & Scott, Mark, 2022. "Managed retreat and coastal climate change adaptation: The environmental justice implications and value of a coproduction approach," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    13. Wiriya Puntub & Stefan Greiving, 2022. "Advanced Operationalization Framework for Climate-Resilient Urban Public Health Care Services: Composite Indicators-Based Scenario Assessment of Khon Kaen City, Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-20, January.
    14. H.M. Tuihedur Rahman & Gordon M. Hickey, 2020. "An Analytical Framework for Assessing Context-Specific Rural Livelihood Vulnerability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-26, July.
    15. Carlota García Díaz & David Zambrana-Vasquez & Carmen Bartolomé, 2024. "Building Resilient Cities: A Comprehensive Review of Climate Change Adaptation Indicators for Urban Design," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-19, April.
    16. 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.
    17. Farman Ullah & Martina Valente & Ives Hubloue & Muhammad Sannan Akbar & Luca Ragazzoni & Francesco Barone-Adesi, 2024. "Determinants of adaptive behaviors during heatwaves in Pakistan: a study based on personal heatwave experiences and hypothetical scenarios," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(5), pages 1-19, June.
    18. Donghyun Kim & Up Lim, 2016. "Urban Resilience in Climate Change Adaptation: A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-17, April.
    19. Roberto Cardinale, 2022. "State-Owned Enterprises’ Reforms and their Implications for the Resilience and Vulnerability of the Chinese Economy: Evidence from the Banking, Energy and Telecom Sectors," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 489-514, September.
    20. M. Rezaul Islam, 2018. "Climate Change, Natural Disasters and Socioeconomic Livelihood Vulnerabilities: Migration Decision Among the Char Land People in Bangladesh," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 575-593, April.

    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:19:y:2022:i:17:p:11090-:d:906603. 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.