As climate change accelerates, extreme heat events are becoming more frequent, severe, and prolonged across the globe. Canada is no exception. While extreme heat events pose population-wide health risks, older adults are particularly vulnerable due to physiological changes, pre-existing health conditions, and social or economic limitations that can make it harder for them to keep cool and stay safe. Our recent study, published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, sheds light on how well older Canadians understand and prepare for extreme heat events, and identifies where important gaps in knowledge remain. The study, titled “Knowledge, Awareness, Practices, and Perceptions of Risk and Responsibility Related to Extreme Heat: An Exploratory Survey of Older Adults in Canada,” set out to explore how seniors perceive the risk of extreme heat and what steps older Canadians take to protect themselves. We conducted an online survey of over one thousand adults aged 50 and over, collecting data on their awareness of heat-related health risks, their protective behaviours, and who they felt should be responsible for heat protection — individuals, government agencies, and/or health professionals.
What the Study Found
The survey revealed a complex and sometimes contradictory picture. While most respondents were aware that extreme heat can be detrimental to health, a significant gap existed between knowledge and action. Many participants reported being aware of basic protective measures, such as staying hydrated, avoiding strenuous activity, or seeking air conditioning, but a sizable portion did not consistently apply these strategies. Even more striking was the disconnect between perceived and actual risk. Many older adults did not perceive themselves as particularly susceptible, despite understanding that older adults in general are more vulnerable to heat. This misperception may lead to a false sense of security and could increase the likelihood of negative health outcomes during heat events.
Responsibility: A Shared Burden?
Another key aspect of the study examined who participants believed should be responsible for protecting the public during extreme heat events. The responses suggested a shared sense of responsibility, with most participants agreeing that individuals, government, and healthcare providers all have roles to play. However, some respondents expressed uncertainty or placed more emphasis on personal responsibility, potentially underestimating the importance of systemic and community-level support and interventions, such as public cooling centers, emergency alerts, or at-home check-ins. This finding highlights the need for more nuanced public health messaging that emphasizes not only individual preparedness but also the importance of harmonized heat-health messaging, community infrastructure, and support networks in reducing heat-related risks.
Implications for Public Health
The study’s findings have important implications for how we design and deliver heat-related health campaigns targeting older adults.
- Raising awareness is not enough — we need to ensure that older Canadians not only understand the risks but are also motivated and equipped to take appropriate action. This may involve addressing barriers such as cost (eg, the affordability of air conditioning), mobility challenges, or social isolation.
- Messaging must better communicate that heat-related risk increases with age. Older adults should not need to personally experience the negative health consequences of heat in order to feel the risk. A more targeted and empathetic approach could help shift heat-health perception and encourage more proactive behaviour.
- Public health initiatives should promote a sense of shared responsibility. Governments can support vulnerable populations by ensuring access to cooling centers (including transport assistance), supporting in-home air conditioning (eg, providing portable units, electricity subsidies) and integrating extreme heat planning into emergency preparedness strategies. This can include establishing a network of community support to enhance access to cooling resources. Healthcare providers can also increase awareness about heat risks by regularly discussing heat safety with older patients, particularly those with chronic health conditions.
Preparing for a Hotter Future
Read Our Article in JPHMP
This study serves as a timely reminder that as our climate changes, so must our approach to protecting those most at risk. With Canada experiencing record-breaking heat events in recent years — and projections indicating this trend will continue — proactive efforts to engage, educate, and support older adults are more important than ever. Creating effective heat-health interventions requires more than just public service announcements. It demands a coordinated effort across all levels of society: individuals making informed choices, health professionals offering guidance, and governments providing the tools and infrastructure needed to adapt to our warming world. For older adults in Canada, being prepared could be the difference between staying safe and experiencing serious health consequences. And for all of us, the question is no longer if another extreme heat event will come, but whether we’ll be ready when it does.
Read our article in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice: “Knowledge, Awareness, Practices, and Perceptions of Risk and Responsibility Related to Extreme Heat: An Exploratory Survey of Older Adults in Canada.“
Acknowledgements
This work was conducted at the Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit (HEPRU) at the University of Ottawa. The author team includes leading Canadian experts on extreme heat, heat physiology, and public health, including Dr. Glen Kenny, Director of the HEPRU, and Dr. Robert Meade and Dr. Fergus O’Connor, Postdoctoral Fellows at the time of the investigation.
About the Author
- Dr. Emily Tetzlaff has a PhD in Human Kinetics from the Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit at the University of Ottawa, a Master’s in Human Kinetics and an Honours Bachelor of Physical and Health Education in Health Promotion. She also has a university certification in gerontology – the scientific study of aging. Her research focuses on messaging in public health and occupational health and safety.
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