What are the benefits of heat adaptation for vulnerable groups in sub-Saharan Africa?

Author: Professor Mark New and Professor Lara Dugas

Organization: University of Cape Town

Year: 2023

Despite a high vulnerability to heat-related health risks, interventions which investigate and implement heat adaptions are lacking in sub-Saharan Africa. Professors New and Dugas, and their collaborators, hope to address this evidence gap by evaluating physical and behavioural adaptations among manual labourers and low-income house dwellers in four study sites across Ghana and South Africa. The study will also develop and test heat warning systems to support these adaptations and gather high-quality data on physiological and mental health, as well as key climate, environmental and socio-economic variables.