Only 25 per cent of Queenslanders aware of health risks from heat waves – latest research

Parts of Australia are currently facing. Intense heatwith high temperatures continuing over the approaching days.

While it's unclear what the approaching summer will bring, climate change does make sense. Australian summers are getting hot. In August this 12 months too, we saw temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country.

Heat waves aren't just uncomfortable — they Can be fatal. Extreme heat-related health emergencies place a major strain on our health care system, with the numbers increasing. Ambulance call-outs And Hospital presentations During these periods.

Although heat waves can affect anyone, older adults are especially in danger. But our New research found that older Queenslanders don’t necessarily consider heat is a threat to their health. And it affects how they reply to emergency alerts.

Old people and warmth

Aging brings with it physical changes, including a decline in capability. Regulate body temperaturewhich may put older people at increased risk of problems like heat exhaustion and warmth stroke.

Can also exhibit heat Makes symptoms worse Pre-existing conditions, similar to heart disease, lung disease or kidney disease, that are more common in older people.

There is danger. Even more obvious For older individuals who live in poor quality housing, are economically disadvantaged, or are socially isolated.

A report by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that of two,150 hospitalizations on account of extreme heat between 2019 and 2022, 37% were amongst people age 65 and older. About 16 percent of the population).

So there’s an urgent have to prioritize the health of older Australians because the country braces for it. More intense and longer heat waves In the longer term

Early warning system

As we learn more in regards to the risks of warmth waves, more attention has been paid to developing population-based early warning systems. These systems play a crucial role in encouraging people to adopt heat protective behaviors similar to staying hydrated, avoiding strenuous physical activity when temperatures are high, and wearing loose or light clothing.

Queensland is certainly one of the world's Most vulnerable areas Heat waves have been an element of warmth wave warnings for states since 2015. Heat wave sub-projectwhich sets out strategies to administer and mitigate the results of utmost heat events.

These warnings include warnings of impending high temperatures, and advice to remain cool. They come as notifications through the Bureau of Meteorology's weather app or through media outlets or social media. However, it’s unclear whether these warnings are reaching those most in danger.

As a part of Broader plans On extreme heat and old people, we surveyed. 547 Queenslanders People age 65 and older to grasp their perceptions of warmth hazards and determine whether heat wave warnings are reaching them.

We also desired to know what aspects influence how they receive and reply to these warnings, to grasp how we will improve heat wave warnings for this group. are

What we found

Only 25% of respondents were aware of the potential consequences of heatwaves on their health. The majority of participants (80%) considered themselves to be at lower risk than other age groups. It is consistent with this. Previous heat-related health research Which It is found in the same way Older adults often Do not feel the heat as personal risk.

While nearly all of the sample (87%) reported having a number of chronic health conditions, 30% were unaware that a chronic health condition increased the danger of warmth waves.

Several cultural and private aspects may explain why older people don’t think heat is a threat to them. In Australia, heat is often seen as a Normal and even positive a part of life. Heat danger messages are sometimes less urgent than warnings for other natural disasters.

We also found that nearly half of respondents had not heard heat wave warnings. Of those that had, about half took steps to maintain themselves cool.

What emerged from our evaluation was that participants' awareness and actions in response to heat wave warnings were significantly influenced by their knowledge and perception of warmth hazards. Factors like age, gender and education weren’t significant.

Respondents who believed they were in danger were almost twice as more likely to hear warnings, and three.6 times more more likely to take heat protection measures.

It is consistent with this. Other research highlights the correlation between Perception of heat-related health risk and the efficacy of heatwave warnings.

A limitation of our research is that we conducted the survey in 2022 and beyond. La Niña periodwhere the temperature is usually lower. Therefore there could also be fewer heat wave warnings throughout the season, possibly reducing participants' perceptions of heat-related health risks.

What needs to vary?

With one other hot season ahead, we want to rethink how we speak about heat waves. These are greater than just hot days. We need to acknowledge heat waves as a serious health risk, especially for older people, and communicate this risk effectively to the general public.

This may include using primary healthcare professionals similar to GPs, nurses and pharmacists to share details about heat with older patients and their members of the family, or through the summer. Develop a customized heat motion plan for

Text message alerts from the Bureau of Meteorology, together with app notifications, could also be a superb idea on condition that some older adults may not have a smartphone or be open to using apps.

To improve heat wave communication, we also have to explore. Barriers and Facilitators To Heat protective behaviors. These include structural aspects (similar to housing design), environmental aspects (similar to access to shade and funky shelters), individual aspects (similar to financial constraints or health conditions) and social aspects (similar to access to family and community support). Includes consideration. .

Strengthening communication around heat waves and health won’t only protect individual well-being, but in addition increase societal resilience as extreme heat affects our lives.