Socio-economic, infrastructural and health-related risk factors associated with adverse heat-health effects reportedly experienced during hot weather in South Africa.
| Autor: | Wright CY; Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa.; Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa., Dominick F; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany., Kapwata T; Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg, South Africa., Bidassey-Manilal S; University of Johannesburg and Department of Environmental Health, Tshwane University of Technology, Johannesburg, South Africa., Engelbrecht JC; Department of Environmental Health, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa., Stich H; Health Department, Landshut, Germany., Mathee A; Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg, South Africa.; University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.; University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa., Matooane M; Tlhoeko Environmental Consultants, Maseru, Lesotho.; Previously Natural Resources and the Environment Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Zdroj: | The Pan African medical journal [Pan Afr Med J] 2019 Sep 18; Vol. 34, pp. 40. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Sep 18 (Print Publication: 2019). |
| DOI: | 10.11604/pamj.2019.34.40.17569 |
| Abstrakt: | 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 cross-sectional 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: Heat-health 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. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. (© Caradee Yael Wright et al.) |
| Databáze: | MEDLINE |
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