How resilient is the general population to heatwaves? A knowledge survey from the ENHANCE project in Brussels and Amsterdam

Studies have shown an increase in mortality and morbidity during heatwaves, especially among the elderly. Heatwaves are also set to increase in the coming years in Western Europe, both in frequency and intensity, due to climate change. This study assessed the knowledge of the general population of Brussels and Amsterdam on groups at risk and protective measures for heat-related health effects.

Six locations with mixed populations were selected in each city. Passer-by’s in both cities were asked to participate in a short survey. Respondents in Brussels (n = 120) had significantly more knowledge on risk groups and protective measures than respondents in Amsterdam (n = 133). In both cities, individuals with higher education had better knowledge on risk groups and protective measures than individuals with lower education.

The main conclusion of this research is that the efforts towards heat‑awareness raising must be strengthened, especially in Amsterdam, and public health actions should effectively target vulnerable groups with lower education in both cities.

BMC Research Notes2016. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.