Climate change-mediated heat stress vulnerability and adaptation strategies among outdoor workers

ABSTRACT

The study examined the effect of heat stress on the well-being of outdoor workers and their coping strategies. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted between September 2019 and December 2019 to collect data from outdoor workers including hawkers and traffic wardens from 13 urban areas (N = 322) and analyzed using SPSS v.23. The results of the study show that most of the outdoor workers were in a good health state based on their self-health assessment. However, the respondents expressed concerns and symptoms of heat stress including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and sleep disorders. The findings also show that male outdoor workers were 1.3 times more likely than females to be affected by heat stress. Respondents in their 20s were more likely to be affected by heat stress, as a result of temperatures and humidity conditions, than those in their 30s (OR = 0.389, CI = 0.158–0962) and 40s (OR = 0.395, CI = 0.147–1.063). Coping strategies identified include the use of breathable cotton attires, drinking a lot of water, hiding under shades and reducing outdoor activity intermittently.

KEYWORDS:

• Outdoor workers
• heat Stress
• health
• disease
• vulnerable
• adaptability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Stephen T. Odonkor

Dr. Stephen T. Odonkor is a Fulbright Scholar. He is the Coordinator for the public health programmes at GIMPA. He holds a PhD from the University of South Africa. His research interest includes: Environmental Health and Climate Change, Microbial Source Tracking, Antibiotic Resistances, Air Pollution and Sanitation. He has several peered review publications in top rated journals to his credit, such as in the Journal of Cleaner Production and Renewable Energy.

Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams is a Professor of Public Administration and Policy and holds a PhD in Public Administration and Urban Policy, with a minor in International Business from the Old Dominion University, Virginia (USA). He is currently the Dean of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) School of Public Service and Governance, a position he has held since 2014. His research interests are in the areas of Policy, Governance, and Economic Development. He has published in many local and international journals including but not limited to Journal of Policy Modeling, Energy Policy, Public Organization Review, International Journal of Public Administration, World Development, Economic Analysis and Policy, Renewable Energy, Journal of Cleaner Production, and Science of the Total Environment.