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Public Perception of Extreme Cold Weather-Related Health Risk in a Cold Area of Northeast China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2017

Jie Ban ,
Li Lan ,
Chao Yang ,
Jian Wang ,
Chen Chen ,
Ganlin Huang  and
Tiantian Li
Jie Ban
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health Risk Assessment, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Li Lan
Affiliation:
Harbin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin, China
Chao Yang
Affiliation:
Harbin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin, China
Jian Wang
Affiliation:
Harbin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin, China
Chen Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health Risk Assessment, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Ganlin Huang
Affiliation:
Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Tiantian Li*
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health Risk Assessment, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Tiantian Li, Department of Environmental Health Risk Assessment, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.7 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100021, China (e-mail: tiantianli@gmail.com).
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Abstract

Objective

A need exists for public health strategies regarding extreme weather disasters, which in recent years have become more frequent. This study aimed to understand the public’s perception of extreme cold and its related health risks, which may provide detailed information for public health preparedness during an extreme cold weather event.

Methods

To evaluate public perceptions of cold-related health risk and to identify vulnerable groups, we collected responses from 891 participants in a face-to-face survey in Harbin, China. Public perception was measured by calculating the score for each perception question.

Results

Locals perceived that extreme cold weather and related health risks were serious, but thought they could not avoid these risks. The significant difference in perceived acceptance level between age groups suggested that the elderly are a “high health risk, low risk perception” group, meaning that they are relatively more vulnerable owing to their high susceptibility and low awareness of the health risks associated with extreme cold weather.

Conclusions

The elderly should be a priority in risk communication and health protective interventions. This study demonstrated that introducing risk perception into the public health field can identify vulnerable groups with greater needs, which may improve the decision-making of public health intervention strategies. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:417–421)

Keywords

communicationextreme coldpublic healthquestionnairesvulnerable populations
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , August 2017 , pp. 417 - 421
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

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Footnotes

*

Jie Ban and Li Lan are considered co-first authors because they contributed equally to this study.

References

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