BMC Public Health
Volume 14, Issue 1, 2014

Extreme heat and cultural and linguistic minorities in Australia: Perceptions of stakeholders (Article) (Open Access)

Hansen A. , Nitschke M. , Saniotis A. , Benson J. , Tan Y. , Smyth V. , Wilson L. , Han G.-S. , Mwanri L. , Bi P.*
  • a Discipline of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Mail Drop DX650 207, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
  • b Department for Health and Ageing, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  • c Discipline of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Mail Drop DX650 207, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
  • d Division of General Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  • e Discipline of Geography Environment and Population, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  • f Department for Health and Ageing, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  • g School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • h Communications and Media Studies, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  • i Faculty of Nursing Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
  • j Discipline of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Mail Drop DX650 207, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia

Abstract

Background: Despite acclimatisation to hot weather, many individuals in Australia are adversely affected by extreme heat each summer, placing added pressure on the health sector. In terms of public health, it is therefore important to identify vulnerable groups, particularly in the face of a warming climate. International evidence points to a disparity in heat-susceptibility in certain minority groups, although it is unknown if this occurs in Australia. With cultural diversity increasing, the aim of this study was to explore how migrants from different cultural backgrounds and climate experiences manage periods of extreme heat in Australia. Methods. A qualitative study was undertaken across three Australian cities, involving interviews and focus groups with key informants including stakeholders involved in multicultural service provision and community members. Thematic analysis and a framework approach were used to analyse the data. Results: Whilst migrants and refugees generally adapt well upon resettlement, there are sociocultural barriers encountered by some that hinder environmental adaptation to periods of extreme heat in Australia. These barriers include socioeconomic disadvantage and poor housing, language barriers to the access of information, isolation, health issues, cultural factors and lack of acclimatisation. Most often mentioned as being at risk were new arrivals, people in new and emerging communities, and older migrants. Conclusions: With increasing diversity within populations, it is important that the health sector is aware that during periods of extreme heat there may be disparities in the adaptive capacity of minority groups, underpinned by sociocultural and language-based vulnerabilities in migrants and refugees. These factors need to be considered by policymakers when formulating and disseminating heat health strategies. © 2014 Hansen et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Author Keywords

Australia Migrants Extreme heat Climate change

Index Keywords

information processing acclimatization perception cultural anthropology Culture Communication Barriers heat refugee Australia demography health disparity Health Status Disparities minority group human communication disorder Refugees linguistics housing Extreme Heat language qualitative research Residence Characteristics Humans Minority Groups Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics migration Transients and Migrants Focus Groups public health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84904788007&doi=10.1186%2f1471-2458-14-550&partnerID=40&md5=785e533e341e3528fab3b7e8d4165ff6
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-550
ISSN: 14712458
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English