A public health needs assessment for domestic indoor overheating

• Published in: Public health (London) Vol. 161; pp. 147 - 153
• Main Authors: Bundle, N., O'Connell, E., O'Connor, N., Bone, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2018; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Change agents; Climate Change; Demographics; Deprivation; Economic deprivation; Energy efficiency; Environmental assessment; Environmental impact; Environmental risk; Epidemiology; Experts; Global warming; Health hazards; Health needs; Health needs assessment; Health risk assessment; Heat risk groups; Heat Stress Disorders - epidemiology; Heat waves; Heatstroke; Home environment; Hot Temperature - adverse effects; Housing; Humans; Indoor overheating; Literature reviews; Needs analysis; Needs Assessment; Overheating; Public Health; Risk Assessment; Risk management; Socioeconomic Factors; Susceptibility; Teams; United Kingdom - epidemiology; Health needs assessment; Climate change; Indoor overheating; Heat waves; Heat risk groups; Energy efficiency; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0033-3506; 1476-5616
• DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2017.12.016

Indoor overheating is a potentially fatal health hazard that was identified as an issue requiring urgent action in the 2017 UK Climate Change Risk Assessment. We aimed to make research on this issue more accessible to local public health teams to encourage its inclusion in local strategic needs assessments.
Epidemiological health needs assessment.
We adapted established health needs assessment methods, focussing on the epidemiological component, drawing evidence from a non-systematic literature review that was complemented by discussion with experts.
Indoor overheating arises from an interaction between occupants' susceptibility to heat, their behaviour and the building's location and its characteristics. Many of these factors are interrelated and, at a national level, are expected to vary over time with demographic and climate change. Understanding these factors, ways to mitigate them and a long-term view are all essential for managing overheating risk.
There is a need for services to be provided at the local level that consider the home environment and its impact on health in all seasons. A population-level approach to risk management across a local area is also useful to inform collaborative efforts to reduce future incidence of overheating and better understand how it varies with socio-economic deprivation.
•Indoor overheating is a potentially fatal domestic hazard currently experienced in around 20% of UK homes.•It can affect everyone but defined groups in certain property types are at most risk.•The epidemiology of overheating can be used to inform local risk management, public health needs assessment and response.•The primary unmet need is for local services that consider the home environment and its impact on health in all seasons.•A population-level approach to overheating risk management across local areas is also needed to reduce future incidence.