Heat risk communication for older adults living in the community: A scoping review

Older adults are at higher risk of adverse health outcomes from extreme heat events. Effective heat risk communication interventions offer opportunities to mitigate adverse health impacts by improving heat health literacy and heat adaptive behaviors in this population. This scoping review examined the impact of heat risk communication for independently living older adults on their adoption of heat protective behaviors and on preventable adverse health outcomes.

We searched three electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Scopus) and Google Scholar using terms for heat risk communication and older adults. Empirical research investigating heat warning interventions were deemed eligible if they reported changes in heat behavior or health outcomes for older adults. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

Of 19 empirical articles, 6 were interventional and 13 observational (qualitative and quantitative). Results showed that tailored risk communication interventions improved older adults' knowledge of heat-related risks and had some positive influence on adaptive behaviors and health outcomes. However, despite good awareness of impending extreme heat conditions through risk communications, this knowledge did not consistently translate into behavioral action.

Publications on heat risk communication for independent older adults are limited, especially for developing countries. With aging populations and extreme heat events rising, mitigating heat exposure risk is crucial and can be addressed through relevant communications. Further research with robust designs would support effective heat risk communication for older adults.