AB148. Knowledge, awareness, and behavior on the heat index among residents of selected communities in Angeles City: an embedded sequential study

Background: Extreme heat, intensified by climate change, poses growing health risks globally and in tropical countries like the Philippines. Between 2000 and 2019, heat exposure contributed to an estimated 489,000 deaths annually, with Asia accounting for nearly half. In early 2024, the Philippines recorded 77 heat-related illnesses and 7 deaths, mostly among the youth, reflecting the urgent need for effective community adaptation. The heat index, a measure combining temperature and humidity, offers a more accurate gauge of perceived heat stress than temperature alone. Despite frequent extreme heat events, limited research explores how Filipino communities interpret and respond to heat index warnings. This study addresses that gap by examining residents’ knowledge, awareness, and behavior regarding the heat index in selected communities in Angeles City.

Methods: An embedded sequential mixed-methods design was used. A validated 28-item questionnaire was administered to 396 residents, followed by semi-structured interviews with six purposively selected participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were processed using Colaizzi’s method. Triangulation was applied for interpretation. The study underwent ethics review and plagiarism screening.

Results: Most residents understood environmental and health-related aspects of the heat index but had gaps in recognizing its psychological and socioeconomic effects. Awareness levels were high and often translated into adaptive behaviors like hydration, weather monitoring, and staying indoors. Statistically significant differences were found based on age, sex, and education. Qualitative analysis revealed themes of experience-based knowledge, perceived inequality, emotional and physical impacts, and culturally rooted coping strategies.

Conclusions: Residents adapted instinctively despite limited formal guidance. Public health efforts must bridge knowledge gaps by anchoring heat index education in lived realities and integrating localized, culturally sensitive interventions into nursing and community health strategies. Findings support broader climate-health strategies in similarly affected regions.

Keywords: Heat index; community health; heat wave; global warming; climate change