NASA data shows that July 22, 2024, was the hottest day on record, and there is evidence that July may have been the hottest month. A survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center in mid-July found that most people know three of the symptoms of heat-related illness but don’t know where the nearest cooling station is. At the same time, more people believe that heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense, affecting their daily activities.
Knowledge of cooling centers in extreme heat
Although the locations of cooling centers or indoor climate-controlled spaces such as libraries, community and senior centers or schools are announced by city governments on hot days, many of those surveyed do not know where to find one. Two-thirds of respondents (67%) say they do not know where a cooling center is located to turn to in extreme heat. This number is statistically unchanged from last November. “Municipalities need to do a better job of making the public, especially the most vulnerable, aware of these centers,” said Ken Winneg, managing director of survey research at APPC.
Find out more today about the link between extreme heat and climate change.
Compared to an APPC survey in November 2023, significantly more people now say that climate change increases the risk of heat-related illness, respiratory disease and insect-borne diseases. Two-thirds (67%) hold this view, compared to just under 6 in 10 (58%) in November 2023.
More people say heat waves in the United States are becoming more frequent and intense than in the past. About two-thirds (65%) believe heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense, with 58% (58%) holding this view in November 2023, when we last asked the question. About a quarter (24%) believe heat waves are about as frequent and intense as ever, statistically unchanged from our previous survey.
At the same time, the share of people who say extreme heat has often or frequently interfered with their typical daily activities in the past year has increased significantly, with 43 percent (43%) saying extreme outdoor heat has often (22%) or frequently (21%) interfered with their daily activities, an increase of 8 percentage points compared to November 2023 (a total of 35% said either “often” or “frequently”).
Signs of heat-related illnesses
Most people also know three of the characteristic signs of heat-related illnesses:
- Dizziness (89% vs. 86% in August 2022)
- Nausea (83% vs. 79% in August 2022)
- Hot, red, dry or moist skin (72%, statistically unchanged since August 2022)
- Cold, pale and moist skin (42%, statistically unchanged from August 2022).
The public understands some risks of extreme heat better than others
Looking ahead to the next ten years, just under 6 in 10 (58%) believe that people in their community are more likely to experience heatstroke as a result of extreme heatwaves. This is significantly higher than in November 2023, when just over half (52%) of respondents said that people in their community are more likely to experience heatstroke caused by extreme heatwaves over the next ten years.
However, only 3 in 10 (30%) know that a pregnant woman in the U.S. exposed to extreme heat is more likely to have a preterm birth than a pregnant woman not exposed to extreme heat. About a quarter (23%) incorrectly say that a pregnant woman in the U.S. is either less or just as likely to have a preterm birth. Forty-seven percent (47%) are not sure which is correct.
Widespread awareness that heat-related deaths occur most frequently among seniors
Two-thirds (67%) know that heat-related deaths are most common among older adults ages 65 and older, slightly but significantly higher than in August 2022 (62%).
Prevention of heat-related illnesses
Almost everyone (92%) knows that drinking water is better than drinking sugary drinks for preventing heat-related illnesses.
APPC’s ASAPH survey
The survey data are from the 20th century.th Wave of a nationally representative panel of 1,496 U.S. adults first surveyed in April 2021, conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent research firm. This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey was conducted July 11-18, 2024, and has a margin of error (MOE) of ± 3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%. Combined subcategories may not add up to the totals in the top row and text due to rounding.
Source:
University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center
