A Survey On The Perceptions And Adaptive Behaviors Of Climate Change/Heat Wave And Health Risks Among The University Students

[Background]The health risks of climate change/heat wave are evident. The raising in average temperature will increase the risk of infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, malnutrition, mental illness and other various diseases. Along with the global warming, the intensity, duration and frequency of heat waves are gradually increasing. The heat wave can cause heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and a series of disease. Vulnerable populations to climate change include the elderly, children, outdoor workers, infirm people, social isolation groups, the disabled, women, ethnic minorities and low-income groups. These extra health burdens indicate that local communities are not prepared for the extreme heat in both developed and developing countries. Under the background of global warming, we should take steps to reduce the health risks of climate change/heat wave, while the population perception is of significant important in climate change adaption. Therefore, understanding the public risk perception of heat waves/climate change and its influencing factors can promote the proper measures to reduce its damage to public health.Currently, the research on the health perception of climate change/heat wave is not enough, not to say many studies are just qualitative researches. Most of the studies found a serious shortage of public awareness of climate change. The public still have some misunderstanding of the general knowledge on climate change. Many investigators mistakenly believe that climate change is due to the ozone hole, air pollution and other reasons, and some people mistakenly believe that climate change is sudden and catastrophic, rather than slow-onset. China is also experiencing the impact of climate change as one of the developing countries. Study on climate change in China has just started, few research on cognitive research relating to climate change risks, no survey specifically for young people. To carry out the investigation in this regard are of great significance to understand the youth population on climate change awareness, and to take further response measures and make related policies on climate change.[Objective]This study aims to understand the perceptions of climate change/heat wave and associate health risks among the university students in Shandong University in china, and to explore the influencing factors of it. The findings of this study will help to provide basis information for the formulation of related policies and response measures to cope with the health risks of climate change/heat wave.1. This study aims to understand the perceptions, knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding health risks of climate change/extreme heat events among the undergraduate students.2.To explore if there is any difference between the views of students in different grade, gender, subject, branch of arts/science and city or countryside.3. The findings of this study will help to provide basis information for the formulation of related policies and response measures to cope with the health risks of climate change/heat wave.4. By conducting a survey, can play a role in increasing the awareness of the association between climate and human health among the young people.[Methods]Taking class as a unit, stratified cluster sampling method was used to randomly select1200students from first-year and third-year undergraduate students at Shandong University, and the total sampling ratio was about3%among the university students. After collating and checking the data collected, EpiData3.1software was used to form the database, and SPSS software was used for analysis. Descriptive analyses were used to analysis general demographic characteristics. T test and F test were used for the comparison of quantitative data, andχ2test or Fisher’s exact test was used for the comparison of qualitative data. All significant level was0.05.[Results]1.The students don’t have a goodunderstanding of the basic knowledge of climate change. About22.2percent of the students know little or nothing about the climate change.There is still a certain degree of confusion of the relevant concepts.72.4percent of the college students think that climate change has large or some impact on their life. The respondents generally feel worried and pessimistic about the climate change, and they do not have a high level of trust in authority and the media. About71percent of the college students get the information of climate change/heat wave from the network, television and print.2. The students don’t have a goodunderstanding of the basic knowledge of heat wave.78.6percent of the students believe that heat waves are on the increase in our country, and69.7percent of the students believed that the vulnerable populations to heatwave were the elderly and outdoor workers.50.2percent of the students think that they can protect themselves from the negativeeffects of the heat wave. The common practice that college students maintain suitable temperature in the high temperature is to wear more casual clothes, stay indoors to avoid sun exposure, reduce outdoor activities, open air conditioning or use fan.3.The main influencing factors ofclimate change/heat wave. The influencing factors of the students’basic knowledge of climate change are as follows:branch of Arts and Science (OR=1.780,95%CI:1.268～3.484), enthusiasm for environmental activities (OR=2.323,95%CI:1.630～3.312); The influencing factors of the students’concern over climate change are as follows:gender(OR=0.704,95%CI:0.519～0.955), grade(OR=1.590,95%CI:1.139～2.222), enthusiasm for environmental activities(OR=1.511,95%CI:1.099～2.077); The influencing factors of the students’coping with the climate change:grade(OR=1.989,95%CI:1.197～3.306), gender(OR=0.446,95%CI:0.278～0.717), branch of Arts and Science(OR=2.177,95%CI:1.113～4.256), enthusiasm for environmental activities(OR=1.869,95%CI:1.055～3.311); The influencing factors of the students’coping with the heat wave:city/countryside(OR=0.764,95%CI:0.584-1.000), air conditioning(OR=1.494,95%CI:1.141～1.955), enthusiasm for environmental activities(OR=1.397,95%CI:1.079～1.809).[Conclusions]As a whole, the students don’t have a goodunderstanding of the basic knowledge of climate change/heat wave.Most of the students have lower trust to the authorities and media. Majority of the students feel worried and pessimistic about it. Their coping behavior is limitedfor they have little information about how to cope with it. Related strategies should be made according to the influencing factors to deal with the effect of the climate change/heat wave.