Social connection as a public health adaptation to extreme heat events

Abstract

Climate change is an increasingly important public health issue, reflected in morbidity and mortality outcomes during extreme heat events. At the same time, the harms of social isolation with respect to a wide range of health outcomes are becoming better understood. Given that older adults are at higher risk during hot weather and at higher risk of social isolation, they are among those at highest risk for adverse impacts of extreme heat events. While specific strategies to reduce heat exposure have been described in the literature and promoted in public health practice, these may not be readily available to socially isolated older adults. As such, it is crucial to identify key approaches to address risk due to social isolation in the aging population, and to acknowledge their limitations and barriers. Interventions rooted in social connection, a concept widely applied in interventions for public health and social well-being, should be applied as a tool for adaptation to extreme heat events. RésuméLe changement climatique est un problème de santé publique de plus en plus important, qui se reflète dans les résultats de la morbidité et de la mortalité lors des épisodes de chaleur extrême. Au même temps, les mals de l'isolement social en ce qui concerne un large éventail de résultats pour la santé sont de mieux en mieux compris. Étant donné que les personnes âgées sont plus à risque durant les temps chaud et à risque d'isolement social, elles font partie des personnes les plus exposées aux effets négatifs d'événements de chaleur extrême. Bien que des stratégies spécifiques pour réduire l'exposition à la chaleur aient été décrites dans la littérature et promues dans la pratique de la santé publique, elles peuvent ne pas être facilement accessibles aux personnes âgées socialement isolées. Comme tel, il est essentiel d'identifier les approches clés pour réduire les risques dus à l'isolement social de la population vieillissante et de reconnaître leurs limites et obstacles. Les interventions enracinées dans la connexion sociale, un concept largement appliqué dans les interventions pour la santé publique et le bien-être social, devraient être appliquées comme un outil d'adaptation aux événements de chaleur extreme.

Keeping Each Other Safe: Who Checks on Their Neighbors During Weather Extremes in Summer and Winter?

“…[23][24][25] Social connections among community members are 1 form of social capital that is an emerging area of research and practice for keeping people safe during weather extremes. 26,27 Such connections are a bonding form of social capital which, in the context of a weather extreme event, may help people access resources and strengthen both personal (individual or household) and community resilience. 26,28 For example, such connections could help lower social isolation and adverse mental health impacts among older adults, facilitate access to cooling or warming centers for people who do not have or who are hesitant to use their own air conditioning or heating out of financial concerns, serve as a form of outreach that helps people access health care for adverse physical health symptoms before an emergency situation occurs, or help bring organizational or government attention to a community that may be overlooked but where many people are experiencing adverse effects of extreme weather.…”

“…26,28 For example, such connections could help lower social isolation and adverse mental health impacts among older adults, facilitate access to cooling or warming centers for people who do not have or who are hesitant to use their own air conditioning or heating out of financial concerns, serve as a form of outreach that helps people access health care for adverse physical health symptoms before an emergency situation occurs, or help bring organizational or government attention to a community that may be overlooked but where many people are experiencing adverse effects of extreme weather. 27,29,30 The particular practice of checking on neighbors during weather extremes has been sparsely studied, despite the potential public health safety impacts that this practice may have. 29 In order to address this important knowledge gap, the present study aims to (1) describe the extent of neighbor checking during extreme summer heat and extreme winter weather, among a primarily low-and moderate-income population, and (2) examine what factors are associated with the self-reported behavior of neighbor checking.…”

Knowledge of protective measures during extreme heat events among the general public

“…Given the global trend in increased heat-related illnesses and deaths as the EHE and climate change progress, there is a necessity for interventions to be applied at the individual, household, and community levels (1,11).…”

Stop ringing the alarm; it is time to get out of the building!

“…The significance of a whole-of-society public health response is another major cross-cutting theme in the papers of this special section. In discussing public health adaptation to extreme heat events, Kafeety et al (2020) reflect on the role of social connections as a key protective asset for climate change adaptation focused on older adults. While interventions rooted in social connections are already widespread in other areas of public health, this paper makes a strong case for retooling existing promising practices to address climate change impacts such as extreme heat events.…”