Impact of community education on heat-related health outcomes and heat literacy among low-income communities in Karachi, Pakistan
A randomised controlled trial
Abstract
Extreme heat exposure is a growing public health concern. This trial tested the impact of a community health worker (CHW) -led heat education programme on all-cause mortality, unplanned hospital visits and changes in knowledge and practices in Karachi, Pakistan between March and May 2018.
The CHW-led community intervention was associated with a 38% reduction in unscheduled hospital visits for any illness. There was also an improvement in knowledge of the symptoms and risk factors of extreme heat. However, there was no significant reduction in all-cause mortality.
The implication of the findings is that a community-based approach to address the heat mortality and morbidity among the most vulnerable could help communities better prepare for heatwaves and potentially reduce the heat-related burden of death and disability in low-income settings.
This research was supported by the Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC) Programme
Citation
Razzak JA, Agrawal P, Chand Z, et al Impact of community education on heat-related health outcomes and heat literacy among low-income communities in Karachi, Pakistan: a randomised controlled trial BMJ Global Health 2022;7:e006845.