Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, National University of Distance Education (UNED), Madrid, Spain; National School of Public Health, Carlos III Institute of Health (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
Eduardo Torroja Construction Sciences Institute (IETCC), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
Environ Res. 2024 Jul 1;252(Pt 1):118803. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118803. Epub 2024 Mar 31.
Climate change is causing serious damage to natural and social systems, as well as having an impact on human health. Among the direct effects of climate change is the rise in global surface temperatures and the increase in the frequency, duration, intensity and severity of heat waves. In addition, understanding of the adaptation process of the exposed population remains limited, posing a challenge in accurately estimating heat-related morbidity and mortality. In this context, this study seeks to establish a conceptual framework that would make it easier to understand and organise knowledge about human adaptation to heat and the factors that may influence this process. An inductive approach based on grounded theory was used, through the analysis of case studies connecting concepts. The proposed conceptual framework is made up of five components (climate change, vulnerability, health risks of heat, axes of inequality and health outcomes), three heat-adaptation domains (physiological, cultural and political), two levels (individual and social), and the pre-existing before a heat event. The application of this conceptual framework facilitates the assistance of decision-makers in planning and implementing effective adaptation measures. Recognizing the importance of addressing heat adaptation as a health problem that calls for political solutions and social changes. Accordingly, this requires a multidisciplinary approach that would foster the participation and collaboration of multiple actors for the purpose of proposing effective measures to address the health impact of the rise in temperature.
气候变化正在对自然和社会系统造成严重破坏，同时也对人类健康产生影响。气候变化的直接影响之一是全球地表温度上升，以及热浪的频率、持续时间、强度和严重程度的增加。此外，对暴露人群适应过程的理解仍然有限，这在准确估计与热相关的发病率和死亡率方面构成了挑战。在这种情况下，本研究旨在建立一个概念框架，以便更易于理解和组织有关人类适应高温以及可能影响这一过程的因素的知识。本研究采用了基于扎根理论的归纳方法，通过对连接概念的案例研究进行分析。所提出的概念框架由五个组成部分（气候变化、脆弱性、高温健康风险、不平等轴和健康结果）、三个高温适应领域（生理、文化和政治）、两个层次（个人和社会）以及高温事件发生之前的预先存在条件组成。应用这个概念框架有助于决策者在规划和实施有效的适应措施方面提供帮助。认识到将高温适应作为一个需要政治解决方案和社会变革的健康问题来解决的重要性。因此，这需要采取多学科方法，促进多个行为体的参与和合作，以便提出有效的措施来应对气温上升对健康的影响。
