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

Jaime Madrigano, Kathryn Lane, Nada Petrovic, Munerah Ahmed, Micheline Blum and Thomas Matte
Additional contact information
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

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-11

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.

Keywords: extreme heat; climate change; vulnerable populations; risk perception; public health preparedness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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