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Individual and Public-Program Adaptation: Coping with Heat Waves in Five Cities in Canada

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  • Anna Alberini

    (AREC, 2200 Symons Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
    School of Biological Sciences and Institute for a Sustainable World, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK)

  • Will Gans

    (AREC, 2200 Symons Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA)

  • Mustapha Alhassan

    (Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Clark B-320, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA)

Abstract

Heat Alert and Response Systems (HARS) are currently undergoing testing and implementation in Canada. These programs seek to reduce the adverse health effects of heat waves on human health by issuing weather forecasts and warnings, informing individuals about possible protections from excessive heat, and providing such protections to vulnerable subpopulations and individuals at risk. For these programs to be designed effectively, it is important to know how individuals perceive the heat, what their experience with heat-related illness is, how they protect themselves from excessive heat, and how they acquire information about such protections. In September 2010, we conducted a survey of households in 5 cities in Canada to study these issues. At the time of the survey, these cities had not implemented heat outreach and response systems. The study results indicate that individuals’ recollections of recent heat wave events were generally accurate. About 21% of the sample reported feeling unwell during the most recent heat spell, but these illnesses were generally minor. Only in 25 cases out of 243, these illnesses were confirmed or diagnosed by a health care professional. The rate at which our respondents reported heat-related illnesses was higher among those with cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, was higher among younger respondents and bore no relationship with the availability of air conditioning at home. Most of the respondents indicated that they would not dismiss themselves as “not at risk” and that they would cope with excessive heat by staying in air conditioned environments and keeping well hydrated. Despite the absence of heat outreach and education programs in their city, our respondents at least a rough idea of how to take care of themselves. The presence of air conditioning and knowledge of cooling centers is location-specific, which provides opportunities for targeting HARS interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Alberini & Will Gans & Mustapha Alhassan, 2011. "Individual and Public-Program Adaptation: Coping with Heat Waves in Five Cities in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-23, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:8:y:2011:i:12:p:4679-4701:d:15268
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Olivier Deschênes & Enrico Moretti, 2009. "Extreme Weather Events, Mortality, and Migration," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(4), pages 659-681, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Diane Bélanger & Pierre Gosselin & Pierre Valois & Belkacem Abdous, 2014. "Perceived Adverse Health Effects of Heat and Their Determinants in Deprived Neighbourhoods: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nine Cities in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-26, October.
    2. Kaddour Mehiriz & Pierre Gosselin & Isabelle Tardif & Marc-André Lemieux, 2018. "The Effect of an Automated Phone Warning and Health Advisory System on Adaptation to High Heat Episodes and Health Services Use in Vulnerable Groups—Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Xiakun Zhang & Jing Lu & Shuyu Zhang & Chunling Wang & Baojian Wang & Pinwen Guo & Lina Dong, 2014. "Effects of Simulated Heat Waves on Cardiovascular Functions in Senile Mice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-15, August.
    4. McKenzie H. Tilstra & Ishwar Tiwari & Leigh Niwa & Sandra Campbell & Charlene C. Nielsen & C. Allyson Jones & Alvaro Osornio Vargas & Okan Bulut & Bernadette Quemerais & Jordana Salma & Kyle Whitfield, 2021. "Risk and Resilience: How Is the Health of Older Adults and Immigrant People Living in Canada Impacted by Climate- and Air Pollution-Related Exposures?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-22, October.
    5. Milan Ščasný & Anna Alberini, 2012. "Valuation of Mortality Risk Attributable to Climate Change: Investigating the Effect of Survey Administration Modes on a VSL," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-22, December.

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