Structural Heat Adaptation and Education in Rural Setting
- Conditions
- Heat Illness
- Registration Number
- NCT06983483
- Lead Sponsor
- Aga Khan University
- Brief Summary
This study aims to understand whether simple, low-cost interventions, such as improved home cooling, practical advice, and minor home modifications, can help protect people's health during periods of extreme heat in rural, low-income villages of Matiari, Pakistan.
Key Questions the Study Seeks to Answer:
1. Can these interventions reduce heat-related health problems such as dizziness, headaches, and heatstroke?
2. Can they lower indoor temperatures and improve sleep quality, comfort, and daily functioning?
To answer these questions, researchers will compare communities where families receive heat-related support and information with similar communities that do not, to assess any differences in health and well-being.
What Participants Can Expect:
* Answer questions about their health, living conditions, and how they cope with heat
* Have small temperature sensors placed inside their homes
* Some participants may wear a lightweight wristband that tracks sleep and heart rate
* In selected households, cooling improvements will be made, such as adding shade, applying reflective roof paint, or enhancing airflow
Purpose:
This study seeks to identify affordable and effective strategies to help families stay safe during extreme heat, and to use these insights to support other vulnerable communities facing similar challenges.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- NOT_YET_RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 7128
- All households within the selected clusters who provide consent.
- Households planning to move away from the study site within the next 6 months
- Individuals with severe mental or physical health conditions that preclude participation
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Number of Participants with Heat-Related Illness from baseline to 24 months Heat-related illness is defined as any condition resulting from prolonged heat exposure, including heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat cramps, or heat rash. Data will be collected through weekly household surveillance, and community group reports.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Number of Participants Hospitalized for at Least 24 Hours During summer months for 2 years Defined as the number of participants who were admitted to a hospital for at least 24 consecutive hours during the study period, verified through hospital admission records and participant reports.
Number of Participants with At Least One Hospital Visit During Study Period During summer months for 2 years Defined as the number of participants who visited a secondary or tertiary healthcare facility for any reason during the study period, confirmed by self-report and facility-based records.
All-cause mortality (Number of Deaths from Any Cause) from baseline to 24 months All-cause mortality refers to the total number of deaths from any cause among trial participants during the study period, confirmed via household visits and healthcare facility records.
Change in Self-Reported Thermal Comfort Score from baseline to 24 months Thermal comfort will be assessed using a modified version of the CHEQ-5 thermal comfort survey. Participants rate their satisfaction with indoor thermal conditions. The scale ranges from 1 (very uncomfortable) to 5 (very comfortable). Higher scores indicate better thermal comfort. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and then monthly.
Change in Indoor Temperature (°C) From intervention delivery to 24 months Measured as the difference in average indoor temperature before and after intervention using fixed indoor temperature loggers (iButton sensors or Temp-U data loggers). Data collected continuously throughout the study.
Change in Indoor Humidity (% Relative Humidity) from baseline to 24 months Measured as the difference in average indoor humidity before and after intervention using fixed indoor humidity sensors installed in participating households. Data collected continuously.