Description
Introduction: The escalating global temperatures fueled by climate change have led to unprecedented heatwaves, significantly impacting outdoor workers, who are particularly susceptible to rising temperatures. Inadequate awareness and insufficient protective policies, especially prevalent in low- to middle-income countries, have exacerbated the adverse effects of these heatwaves. This study aims to comprehensively assess the awareness, attitudes, behaviors, and risk perceptions regarding heatwaves among outdoor workers across Nepal.
Methodology: Employing a mixed-methods approach, we scrutinized the responses of 356 survey participants and conducted 11 in-depth focus group discussions (FGD) involving outdoor laborers from eight districts in Nepal. Cluster random and purposive sampling methods were meticulously employed to select diverse participants. The study evaluated workers' knowledge (6 items), attitudes (6 items), and practices (13 items) concerning heatwaves, their consequences, and strategies for prevention and mitigation. Aggregate scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) were calculated and analyzed descriptively based on survey items, while responses from the FGD were meticulously examined for thematic saturation.
Results and Discussions: The survey participants exhibited an average age of 37.2 years (standard deviation 10.5), with approximately 57% being male. Their average duration of outdoor work was 10.7 years (standard deviation 8.6). A staggering 96% reported an increase in temperatures in recent years, with around 79% experiencing heat-related symptoms during the summer. Astonishingly, only 6% acquired knowledge about rising temperatures through the media or local radio stations. The mean aggregate knowledge score was 12.6 (range 0-23), the attitude score was 12.4 (range 0-22), and the practice score was 14.5 (range 2-25). Thematic analysis unearthed a pervasive lack of awareness among participants regarding the consequences of heatwaves.
Conclusion: Despite a majority of outdoor workers grappling with the impact of heatwaves, a significant gap in knowledge on effective mitigation strategies exists. This underscores the critical need for targeted awareness interventions at both community and policy levels to address the challenges posed by heatwaves. The findings emphasize the urgency of implementing proactive measures to safeguard the well-being of outdoor laborers in the face of escalating climate-driven heatwaves.
Acknowledgment: This collaborative project took place in Nepal from June to October 2022. The authors express their gratitude to the American Red Cross and the Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) for generously funding this significant endeavor, which aims to shed light on a crucial aspect of climate change. Furthermore, the authors extend their appreciation to Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Nepal, the GDPC, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center, and the Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) for their unwavering technical support, which played a pivotal role in the successful completion of this research.
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