IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v22y2025i8p1196-d1714071.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Heat Wave Beliefs and Behaviors in Southern Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Aaron Metzger

    (Marketing for Change, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA)

  • Yuval Baharav

    (Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Washington, DC 20005, USA)

  • Peter Mitchell

    (Marketing for Change, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA)

  • Lilly Nichols

    (Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Washington, DC 20005, USA
    Center for Climate and Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA)

  • Breahnna Saunders

    (Marketing for Change, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA)

  • Alexis Arlak

    (Center for Climate and Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA)

  • Megan Finke

    (Center for Climate and Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA)

  • Megan Gottemoeller

    (Marketing for Change, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA)

  • Kurt Shickman

    (Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Washington, DC 20005, USA)

  • Kathy Baughman McLeod

    (Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, Washington, DC 20005, USA
    Climate Resilience for All, Washington, DC 20036, USA)

  • Gregory A. Wellenius

    (Center for Climate and Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA)

Abstract

Extreme heat is a pressing public health threat. This study assesses and describes the interrelationships between beliefs about heat waves, individuals’ precautionary behaviors during heat waves, and demographic factors. In May 2022, we surveyed 1051 residents (aged 25–90 years) in Southern Spain, a region that experiences frequent heat waves. We found that many participants engaged in heat wave avoidance (80.5%, e.g., spending more time indoors), impact reduction (63.7%, e.g., drinking more water), or prosocial behavior (31.6%, e.g., helping others). However, one in four (25.9%) respondents also indicated that they personally do not need to worry about heat waves. Heat wave beliefs and behaviors were modestly correlated with demographic characteristics. Individuals who view themselves as less vulnerable to heat-related health risks (“impervious” beliefs) were less likely to report altering their behavior during heat waves. Public health efforts aiming to change behavior during heat waves may anticipate “impervious” beliefs and demographic differences in risk perception and heat-related behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Aaron Metzger & Yuval Baharav & Peter Mitchell & Lilly Nichols & Breahnna Saunders & Alexis Arlak & Megan Finke & Megan Gottemoeller & Kurt Shickman & Kathy Baughman McLeod & Gregory A. Wellenius, 2025. "Heat Wave Beliefs and Behaviors in Southern Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(8), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:8:p:1196-:d:1714071
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/8/1196/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/8/1196/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:8:p:1196-:d:1714071. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.