A Cross-Sectional, Randomized Cluster Sample Survey of Household Vulnerability to Extreme Heat among Slum Dwellers in Ahmedabad, India

Kathy V. Tran, Gulrez S. Azhar, Rajesh Nair, Kim Knowlton, Anjali Jaiswal, Perry Sheffield, Dileep Mavalankar and Jeremy Hess
Additional contact information
Kathy V. Tran: Department of Environmental Health, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Gulrez S. Azhar: Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 380054, India
Rajesh Nair: Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 380054, India
Kim Knowlton: Ahmedabad Heat and Climate Study Group, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 380054, India
Anjali Jaiswal: Ahmedabad Heat and Climate Study Group, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 380054, India
Perry Sheffield: Ahmedabad Heat and Climate Study Group, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 380054, India
Dileep Mavalankar: Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 380054, India
Jeremy Hess: Department of Environmental Health, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-29

Abstract: Extreme heat is a significant public health concern in India; extreme heat hazards are projected to increase in frequency and severity with climate change. Few of the factors driving population heat vulnerability are documented, though poverty is a presumed risk factor. To facilitate public health preparedness, an assessment of factors affecting vulnerability among slum dwellers was conducted in summer 2011 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Indicators of heat exposure, susceptibility to heat illness, and adaptive capacity, all of which feed into heat vulnerability, was assessed through a cross-sectional household survey using randomized multistage cluster sampling. Associations between heat-related morbidity and vulnerability factors were identified using multivariate logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to account for clustering effects. Age, preexisting medical conditions, work location, and access to health information and resources were associated with self-reported heat illness. Several of these variables were unique to this study. As sociodemographics, occupational heat exposure, and access to resources were shown to increase vulnerability, future interventions (e.g., health education) might target specific populations among Ahmedabad urban slum dwellers to reduce vulnerability to extreme heat. Surveillance and evaluations of future interventions may also be worthwhile.

Keywords: heat; climate change; India; vulnerability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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