Heat Adaptation Through Community-based Approaches and Research at SEACO: Structural and Behavioural Interventions (Heat Care)

The behavioral intervention aims to improve heat literacy among participants through an 8-12 week education and training program. It includes three main modules: enhancing community awareness of hot weather, recognizing and responding to heat-related illnesses, and teaching personal cooling strategies. Participants will use SwitchBot meters to monitor indoor temperature and humidity, access real-time weather information, and learn about heat wave warnings. They will receive educational materials, including infographics, videos, and one-to-one training from field staff. The content of intervention and delivery methods will be refined through co-design workshops with stakeholders and community members to ensure they are practical and culturally appropriate. The goal is to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves from extreme heat, resulting in better heat adaptation behaviors and improved health outcomes.

The structural intervention in this study involves implementing cool roofs to reduce indoor temperature and mitigate the effects of extreme heat in rural Malaysian communities. Selected households will have their roofs painted with UV-resistant paint, which reflects direct sunlight and reduces thermal absorption. This intervention aims to decrease the amount of solar energy absorbed by the roof, thereby lowering indoor temperature and reducing the physiological heat strain on residents. By maintaining cooler indoor environment, the cool roof intervention seeks to alleviate the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to high temperature.