1
|
Mwadzingeni L, Mugandani R, Mafongoya PL. Perception of climate change and coping strategies among smallholder irrigators in Zimbabwe. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1027846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionAcross sub-Sahara Africa, governments and international aid agencies are making huge investments in smallholder irrigation schemes to enhance food security, climate resilience and economic transformation in rain-fed farming systems. Unfortunately, a majority of the smallholder irrigation schemes have performed dismally on these fronts. Climate change is a major exacerbating factor to existing challenges resulting in the poor performance of the schemes. Hence, it is crucial to understand smallholder irrigators' perceptions of climate change and current adaptation strategies to co-design appropriate and acceptable adaptation strategies to address water stress in the schemes. This area had received less significant research attention. This study aims to determine the perception of climate change and coping strategies in smallholder schemes.MethodsA mixed-method research strategy was used to collect data from 317 irrigation scheme farmers in three schemes (Exchange, Insukamini, and Ruchanyu) in Midlands Province. A binary logistic regression (BLR) method was used for data analysis.ResultsThe results suggest that scheme farmers have noticed changes in temperature and rainfall patterns. Results obtained from the model show that climate change perception was mainly influenced by age, gender, location, irrigation experience, and plot size. Farmers perceived that climatic change has resulted in decreased irrigation water availability, thus leading to poor yields. This study also shows that the main adaptation strategies to water stress include improving soil moisture conservation, construction of small-scale reservoirs, water charging and trade, setting clear water use priorities, and adoption of climate-resilient and short-season crop varieties. Perception of high temperatures, long dry periods, late rainfall, increase in the frequency of drought, shortening of cold season, and shortening of rain season influence adaptation strategies adopted by scheme farmers.ConclusionThis study offered useful data for policymakers and irrigation developers to develop appropriate policies and programs to improve the sustainability of schemes given current and projected water stress in Zimbabwe and sub-Sahara Africa in general.
Collapse
|
2
|
Sun S, Zhang Q, Singh VP, Shi C, Wang G, Wu W, Shen Z. Increased moist heat stress risk across China under warming climate. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22548. [PMID: 36581657 PMCID: PMC9800580 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27162-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Heatwaves have afflicted human health, ecosystem, and socioeconomy and are expected to intensify under warming climate. However, few efforts have been directed to moist heat stress (MHS) considering relative humidity and wind speed, and moist heat stress risk (MHSR) considering exposure and vulnerability. Here we showed MHS and MHSR variations across China during 1998-2100 using China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System datasets, the 6th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) merged datasets, Gross Domestic Product, population and leaf area index. We detected increased MHS across China under different Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). Specifically, the historical MHS occurred mostly during mid-July to mid-August. We found increasing trends of 0.08%/year, 0.249%/year, and 0.669%/year in the MHS-affected areas under SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585, respectively. Furthermore, we observed the highest increasing rate of MHSR in Northwest and Southwest China, while the MHSR across Northeast and North China under SSP126 shifted from increasing to decreasing trends. Noteworthy is that the increasing trend of MHSR under SSP585 is 1.5-2.6 times larger than that under SSP245, especially in North and South China. This study highlights spatiotemporal evolutions of MHS and MHSR and mitigation to moisture heat stress in a warming climate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Sun
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ,grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ,grid.8658.30000 0001 2234 550XNational Meteorological Information Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087 China
| | - Vijay P. Singh
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA ,grid.43519.3a0000 0001 2193 6666National Water and Energy Center, UAE University, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Chunxiang Shi
- grid.8658.30000 0001 2234 550XNational Meteorological Information Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Wang
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ,grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhuan Wu
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ,grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zexi Shen
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ,grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sayili U, Siddikoglu E, Pirdal BZ, Uygur A, Toplu FS, Can G. The heat wave knowledge, awareness, practice and behavior scale: Scale development, validation and reliability. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279259. [PMID: 36542649 PMCID: PMC9770401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat waves are extreme weather and climate events that threaten public health by increasing morbidity and mortality. To reduce the health effects of heat waves, it is necessary to increase the knowledge level of the public, conduct awareness and protection activities and monitor these activity outcomes. The present study aimed to develop and validate a Turkish language scale of heat wave knowledge, awareness, practice and behavior for Turkish nationality. After item generation and creating dimensions, content validity analysis was performed. To evaluate the validity and reliability of the knowledge construct, the difficulty index, discriminant index and Kuder Richardson 20 (KR20) were used. The validity and reliability of the awareness, practice and behavior constructs were evaluated with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and Cronbach's alpha was used. The 15 items had a good difficulty, discrimination index and KR20 in the knowledge construct. The 14 items were yielded in EFA; 13 items were retained in CFA, and Cronbach's alpha values of 0.878, 0.768, 0.855, and 0.858 were obtained for total items, practice, awareness and behavior, respectively. Eventually, a Turkish language scale was developed that is reliable and valid for assessing heat wave knowledge, awareness, practice and behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ugurcan Sayili
- Department of Public Health, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Institute of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- * E-mail:
| | - Esin Siddikoglu
- Department of Public Health, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | | | - Abdulkerim Uygur
- Department of Public Health, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ferdane Seyma Toplu
- Department of Public Health, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Gunay Can
- Department of Public Health, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Türkiye
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Huang Y, Zhang T, Lou J, Wang P, Huang L. Effective interventions on health effects of Chinese rural elderly under heat exposure. FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2022; 16:66. [PMID: 35693986 PMCID: PMC9170494 DOI: 10.1007/s11783-022-1545-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Due to climate change, the heatwave has become a more serious public health threat with aging as an aggravating factor in recent years. There is a pressing need to detect the most effective prevention and response measures. However, the specific health effects of interventions have not been characterized on an individual scale. In this study, an intervention experiment was designed to explore the health effects of heat exposure at the individual level and assess the effects of different interventions based on a comprehensive health sensitivity index (CHSI) in Xinyi, China. Forty-one subjects were recruited randomly, and divided into one control group and three intervention groups. Interventions included education (Educate by lecturing, offering relative materials, and communication), subsidy support (offer subsidy to offset the cost of running air conditioning), and cooling-spray (install a piece of cooling-spray equipment in the yard). Results showed that systolic blood pressure (SBP) and deep sleep duration (DSD) were significantly affected by short-term heat exposure, and the effects could be alleviated by three types of interventions. The estimated CHSI indicated that the effective days of the education group were longer than other groups, while the lower CHSI of the subsidy group showed lower sensitivity than the control group. These findings provide feasible implementation strategies to optimize Heat-health action plans and evaluate the intervention performance. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s11783-022-1545-4 and is accessible for authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Jianing Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| | - Peng Wang
- Faculty of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013 China
| | - Lei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Arsad FS, Hod R, Ahmad N, Baharom M, Tangang F. The Malay-Version Knowledge, Risk Perception, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire on Heatwaves: Development and Construct Validation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19042279. [PMID: 35206467 PMCID: PMC8872578 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: Heatwaves have long been recognised as a serious public health concern. This study was aimed at developing and validating a Malay-version of a questionnaire for evaluating knowledge, risk perception, attitudes, and practices regarding heatwaves. Method: The knowledge construct was evaluated with item analysis and internal reliability. The psychometric characteristics, construct and discriminant validity, and internal consistency of the risk perception, attitude and practice constructs were evaluated with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The 16 items in the knowledge construct had a good difficulty, discrimination, and reliability index of 0.81. A total of 16 items were maintained in EFA with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.84 and 0.82, 0.78 and 0.84 obtained for total items and risk perception, attitude, and practice constructs, respectively. A total of 15 items were retained after CFA. The finalised model met the fitness indices threshold. The convergent and discriminant validity were good. Conclusion: This newly developed Malay-version KRPAP questionnaire is reliable and valid for assessing Malaysians’ knowledge, risk perception, attitudes, and practices regarding heatwaves.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fadly Syah Arsad
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.S.A.); (N.A.); (M.B.)
| | - Rozita Hod
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.S.A.); (N.A.); (M.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Norfazilah Ahmad
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.S.A.); (N.A.); (M.B.)
| | - Mazni Baharom
- Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.S.A.); (N.A.); (M.B.)
| | - Fredolin Tangang
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia;
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li J, Ye Z, Zhuang J, Okada N, Huang L, Han G. Changes of public risk perception in China: 2008-2018. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 799:149453. [PMID: 34388887 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This paper characterizes the risk acceptance of the Chinese public based on a psychometric paradigm and documents its change by conducting a nationally representative longitudinal survey spanning 10 years. We explore key factors that influence the acceptance of seven typical risks: drinking water pollution, interior decoration, electromagnetic radiation, air pollution, chemical plants, public transportation, and natural hazards, reflecting the general and referential changes in risk perception. The results show a general decrease in the acceptance of all of these risks in the examined decade, especially in economically developed areas. Different types of risk perception varied, but environmental risks had similar trends of perception. The perceived benefits from these risks and local GDP had the greatest impact on risk acceptance. The interaction between the changing perspectives of the emerging middle class and the evolving hazard risk landscape may be the reasons for the reduction in risk acceptance. The main findings offer insights for effective risk education and communication as well as sustainable risk management strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ziwen Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jun Zhuang
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University at Buffalo, 317 Bell Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Norio Okada
- Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-011, Japan
| | - Lei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, P.O. Box 1000, 61 Rt. 9W. Palisades, NY 10964, USA.
| | - Guoyi Han
- Stockholm Environment Institute, Linnėgatan 87D, Postbox 24218, 104 51 Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Hass AL, Runkle JD, Sugg MM. The driving influences of human perception to extreme heat: A scoping review. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111173. [PMID: 33865817 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Prior research demonstrates a link between heat risk perception and population response to a heat warning. Communicating a precise and understandable definition of "heat" or "heatwaves" can affect how a population perceives and responds to extreme heat. Still, little is known about how heat perception affects behavior changes to heat and heat communication across diverse populations. This scoping review aims to identify and describe the main themes and findings of recent heat perception research globally and map critical research gaps and priorities for future studies. Results revealed risk perception influences a person's exposure to and behavioral response to excessive heat. Risk perception varied geographically along the rural-urban continuum and was typically higher among vulnerable subgroups, including populations who were low-income, minority, and in poor health. A more integrated approach to refining risk communication strategies that result in a behavioral change and incorporates the individual, social, and cultural components of impactful group-based or community-wide interventions is needed. Research employing longitudinal or quasi-experimental designs and advanced statistical techniques are required to tease apart the independent and interacting factors that causally influence risk communication, heat perception, and adaptive behaviors. We advance a framework to conceptualize the structural, environmental, personal, and social drivers of population heat risk perception and how they interact to influence heat perception and adaptive behaviors. Our findings map future research priorities needed for heat perception and a framework to drive future research design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alisa L Hass
- Department of Geosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, MTSU Box 9, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
| | - Jennifer D Runkle
- North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, North Carolina State University, 151 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC, 28801, USA.
| | - Margaret M Sugg
- Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, PO Box 32066, Boone, NC, 28608, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chen B, Xie M, Feng Q, Li Z, Chu L, Liu Q. Heat risk of residents in different types of communities from urban heat-exposed areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 768:145052. [PMID: 33736338 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Heat risk assessment is important due to serious health problems caused by heat waves. The complexity and diversity of socio-ecological characteristics in urban areas that lead to heat risk are more serious in heat-exposed areas, while risk assessments and determinant based on individuals in heat-exposed areas have been neglected in previous studies. This study pursues a new idea of combining questionnaire surveys and remote sensing analysis to identify urban heat-exposed areas and assess heat risk in heat-exposed areas of Beijing, China. Morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) was used to identify large and continuous hotspot regions as urban heat-exposed areas based on summer surface temperature from 2011 to 2017. A total of 1484 valid questionnaires were completed by residents of heat-exposed areas. The majority of respondents (96.4%) indicated that they perceived heat risk. Moreover, the residents without a local "hukou" were a potentially vulnerable group (note: hukou refers to the population registration management system.). This study further analysed the diversity of community types within the heat-exposed areas. There were significant differences in heat risk among the different community types of multi-story residential districts, Hutong (a traditional architectural form) residential districts and city villages. In particular, the degree of heat risk perceived by residents living in these the community types was determined by whether they had pre-existing medical conditions; however, age only played a decisive role in city villages. This study not only enriches the current understanding of health risks affected by heat waves but also explores the determinants contributing to the severity of heat risk. The output provides important information for future development of heat mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Miaomiao Xie
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Qianqian Feng
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Zhaoyang Li
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Lixia Chu
- Interfaculty Department of Geoinformatics - Z_GIS, University of Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Qi Liu
- School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Many cities are experiencing persistent risk in China due to frequent extreme weather events. Some extreme weather events, such as extreme heat hazard, have seriously threatened human health and socio-economic development in cities. There is an urgent need to measure the degree of extreme heat risk and identify cites with the highest levels of extreme heat risk. In this study, we presented a risk assessment framework of extreme heat and considered risk as a combination of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Based on these three dimensions, we selected relevant variables from historical meteorological data (1960–2016) and socioeconomic statistics in 2016, establishing an indicator system of extreme heat risk evaluation. Finally, we developed an extreme heat risk index to quantify the levels of extreme heat risk of 296 prefecture-level cities in China and revealed the spatial pattern of extreme heat risk in China in 2016 and their dominant factors. The results show that (1) cities with high levels of extreme heat hazard are mainly located in the south of China, especially in the southeast of China; (2) the spatial distribution of the extreme heat risk index shows obvious agglomeration characteristics; (3) the spatial distribution of the extreme heat risk is still mostly controlled by natural geographical conditions such as climate and topography; (4) among the four types of hazard-dominated, exposure-dominated, vulnerability-dominated, and low risk cities, the number of vulnerability-dominated cities is the largest. The results of this study can provide support for the risk management of extreme heat disasters and the formation of targeted countermeasures in China.
Collapse
|