Knowledge, Attitude, Risk Perception, and Health-Related Adaptive Behavior of Primary School Children towards Climate Change: A Cross-Sectional Study in China

Yu Wang, Xinhang Zhang, Yonghong Li, Yanxiang Liu, Bo Sun, Yan Wang, Zhirong Zhou, Lei Zheng, Linxin Zhang, Xiaoyuan Yao and Yibin Cheng ()
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Yu Wang: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Xinhang Zhang: Tongzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 101199, China
Yonghong Li: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Yanxiang Liu: Public Meteorological Service Center of China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China
Bo Sun: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Yan Wang: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Zhirong Zhou: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Lei Zheng: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Linxin Zhang: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Xiaoyuan Yao: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China
Yibin Cheng: China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100021, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Children are disproportionately affected by climate change while evidence regarding their adaptive behavior and relevant influencing factors is limited. Objectives: We attempted to investigate health-related adaptive behavior towards climate change for primary school children in China and explore potential influencing factors. Methods: We conducted a survey of 8322 primary school children in 12 cities across China. Knowledge, attitude, risk perception, and adaptive behavior scores for children were collected using a designed questionnaire. Weather exposures of cities were collected from 2014 to 2018. We applied a multiple linear regression and mixed-effect regression to assess the influencing factors of adaptive behavior. We also used the structural equation model (SEM) to validate the theoretical framework of adaptive behavior. Results: Most children (76.1%) were aware of climate change. They mainly get information from television, smartphones, and the Internet. A 1 score increase in knowledge, attitude, and risk perception was associated with 0.210, 0.386, and 0.160 increase in adaptive behavior scores, respectively. Females and children having air conditioners or heating systems at home were positively associated with adaptive behavior. Exposure to cold and rainstorms increased the adaptive behavior scores, while heat exposure had the opposite effects. The SEM showed that knowledge was positively associated with attitude and risk perception. Knowledge, attitude, and risk perception corresponded to 31.6%, 22.8%, and 26.1% changes of adaptive behavior, respectively. Conclusion: Most primary school children in China were aware of climate change. Knowledge, attitude, risk perception, cold, and rainstorm exposure were positively associated with health-related adaptive behavior towards climate change.

Keywords: behavior; adaptation; children; climate change; structural equation model (SEM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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