Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey
Objectives: To investigate public concerns about the impacts of climate change on people's health in the UK and their priorities for action by local government. In the UK, local government are responsible for the environmental protection and health of their local population. Study design: Cross...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Public Health in Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535222001227 |
| _version_ | 1811292086139355136 |
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| author | Alexander Harrison Hilary Graham |
| author_facet | Alexander Harrison Hilary Graham |
| author_sort | Alexander Harrison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: To investigate public concerns about the impacts of climate change on people's health in the UK and their priorities for action by local government. In the UK, local government are responsible for the environmental protection and health of their local population. Study design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An online survey of UK adults aged ≥18 years was conducted in 2021 (n = 4050). Representative quotas were set for gender, age group, ethnic group, educational attainment and location (UK country/England region). Survey participants were asked about their concerns about the health impacts of climate change and, excluding those reporting no concerns, their top priorities for their local government to address. Results: The dominant health concerns related to air pollution and severe floods. These exposures were also identified as the two most important priorities for local government to address. Separate logistic regression models investigated local-level factors that predicted the selection of each priority, taking account of socio-demographic factors. For both outcomes, awareness of the relevant exposure in the local area in the past 12 months doubled the odds of selecting it as a priority (air pollution: OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.71, 2.36; floods: OR 2.16, 95%CI 1.88, 2.48). Conclusions: The study demonstrates the potential of surveys to capture public priorities for local action on the health impacts of climate change, and to yield clear policy advice on the issues of greatest public concern. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:40:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea06385f782243c8b49ac6ae00953e08 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-5352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:40:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health in Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea06385f782243c8b49ac6ae00953e082022-12-22T03:02:02ZengElsevierPublic Health in Practice2666-53522022-12-014100346Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK surveyAlexander Harrison0Hilary Graham1University of York, United KingdomCorresponding author. Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Seebohm Rowntree Building, University of York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom.; University of York, United KingdomObjectives: To investigate public concerns about the impacts of climate change on people's health in the UK and their priorities for action by local government. In the UK, local government are responsible for the environmental protection and health of their local population. Study design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An online survey of UK adults aged ≥18 years was conducted in 2021 (n = 4050). Representative quotas were set for gender, age group, ethnic group, educational attainment and location (UK country/England region). Survey participants were asked about their concerns about the health impacts of climate change and, excluding those reporting no concerns, their top priorities for their local government to address. Results: The dominant health concerns related to air pollution and severe floods. These exposures were also identified as the two most important priorities for local government to address. Separate logistic regression models investigated local-level factors that predicted the selection of each priority, taking account of socio-demographic factors. For both outcomes, awareness of the relevant exposure in the local area in the past 12 months doubled the odds of selecting it as a priority (air pollution: OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.71, 2.36; floods: OR 2.16, 95%CI 1.88, 2.48). Conclusions: The study demonstrates the potential of surveys to capture public priorities for local action on the health impacts of climate change, and to yield clear policy advice on the issues of greatest public concern.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S26665352220012272015 Paris agreementPublic perspectivesLocal governmentAir pollutionFloods |
| spellingShingle | Alexander Harrison Hilary Graham Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey Public Health in Practice 2015 Paris agreement Public perspectives Local government Air pollution Floods |
| title | Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey |
| title_full | Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey |
| title_fullStr | Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey |
| title_short | Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey |
| title_sort | public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change evidence from a uk survey |
| topic | 2015 Paris agreement Public perspectives Local government Air pollution Floods |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535222001227 |
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