Week 1: Interventions to reduce effects of extreme heat

 In the introduction you have already got an idea of the topics you are going to learn in this module. In the first week we are going to focus on interventions on the individual level: interventions on how to treat as well as to prevent complications from heat waves. In order to gain sufficient knowledge about these interventions you will be asked to read several texts and articles. Please take your time to read and digest all this information. Subsequently, you will be challenged to apply this knowledge in practical situations.

 The goals of this module are:

1: The student appoints the different types of prevention.
2: The student explains the possible interventions to reduce the effects of extreme heat on health on micro level 
3: The student explains the possible interventions to prevent the effects of extreme heat on health on micro level 
4: The student can apply an intervention (mix) on a specific individual case 
5: The student substantiates the different possible interventions 

This week’s work:

 Before diving deeper into prevention and possible interventions, we will start off with the case of Mrs. Anderson (See the Map ‘Cases’). Please read the case, and answer the following questions:

 1: Which interventions would you advice Mrs. Anderson to take to cope with heatstress?

 2: Which of your proposed interventions would consider to be preventive, and which are more curative?

You just thought of interventions without prior knowledge. Now please check this video clip, and learn about several practical interventions that other people have proposed to undertake during heatwaves. 

 Now, please read some scientific papers on this topic. Please start with the most important one: Jay O et al. (2021). Reducing the health effects of hot weather and heat extremes: from personal cooling strategies to green cities. Lancet 398, 709-724. 

Understanding this article is pivotal for this Module as well as the whole e-learning. Take your time for it, and if necessary, read it a second time. Write down, for yourself, what you think is most the important lesson from this article. Be sure to remember which interventions on a micro level are effective, and which are not.

Then, read the article of R. Meade et al to understand what is known about the use of electric fans. This is important because there are many misunderstandings about their usefulness.

 After having read these papers, please answer these questions for yourself:

-        About electric fans: is it good advice to use electric fans in times of extreme heat? Explain.

-        About air conditioning: is it good advice to use air conditioning in times of extreme heat? Explain.

-        About wearing white clothes: is it good advice to wear white clothes in times of extreme heat? Explain.

  Knowledge Check

To check whether or not you have understood most of the material: please read again the case of Mrs. Anderson. 

First, write down your assessment (‘What are the main –potential – problems in this case?’) and after that, please 

make an intervention plan: What will your actions be, please consider: home environment, mobility challenges and medical conditions.

(h5p: Module 3 1.1& 1.2)