Research Results of "Climate Change and Health in Hong Kong: Response to Natural Disasters and Epidemics"

When facing climate change which leads to more severe typhoons and mosquito-borne illnesses, The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) conducted a series of territory-wide large scale telephone surveys in 2018. They included:

 

The study series had the following findings: 

Climate change

 

Yes

No

Don’t know

Climate change could cause

Global average temperature rise

97.9%

1.9%

0.2%

Increasing chance for natural disasters

97.0%

2.8%

0.2%

Sea level rise

95.0%

2.9%

2.2%

Changes in rainfall in particular regions

92.8%

5.6%

1.6%

More frequent typhoons

89.7%

8.9%

1.4%

Affecting human health

93.5%

6.1%

0.4%

Increasing health problems caused by hot weather

92.8%

6.6%

0.6%

Changes in communicable diseases’ mode of transmission, increasing the risk of pandemics (e.g. Influenza)

89.1%

9.9%

1.0%

What will cause climate change:

Large scale of deforestation

96.6%

3.2%

0.2%

Burning fossil fuels

95.5%

3.5%

1.1%

Large-scale use of chemical fertilizers

77.8%

19.1%

3.1%

Livestock farming e.g. cattle and sheep

61.3%

36.1%

2.6%

(Number of respondents =1,011)

( number of respondents = 1,011)

How worried are you regarding climate change’s effect on yourself or the future generations?

 

Extremely worried

Very worried

Worried

A little worried

Not too worried

Don’t know

Not worried at all

Self

3.5%

8.8%

37.1%

38.8%

11.7%

0.2%

-

Future generations

15.1%

27.2%

31.8%

18.2%

7.3%

0.2%

0.1%

Health and environmental co-benefit behaviours

Health and environmental co-benefit behaviours

Thinking the specific behavior is

"important" or "very important"

Reducing waste (e.g. use less plastic bags)

76.6%

Proper waste management (e.g. waste separation)

77.2%

Using or developing renewable energy

75.6%

Using less electricity

69.6%

Growing plants

65.4%

Eating less red meat

36.9%

(number of respondents = 1,011)

Understand of disaster and prevention

Types of typhoon preparedness activities

Yes

No

Don’t know or not applicable

Number of respondents

Reserving fire extinguishing equipment

11.7%

88.3%

0.0%

540

Reserved emergency supplies before typhoon

43.7%

56.0%

0.3%

1,011

Reserved water supplies

49.3%

50.7%

0.0%

540

Had first-aid kit

55.0%

44.6%

0.4%

540

Reserved food supplies

83.3%

16.7%

0.0%

540

 Typhoon "Mangkhut"

Affected by

%

Due to road blocks or traffic issues were not able to go to work or school (excluding the Monday/Tuesday where the Education Bureau announced school close (September 17/18)

69.8%

Loss of energy source (e.g. water or electricity)

14.5%

Home damage (e.g. broken windows)

13.4%

Affect living means e.g. shop was damaged

5.6%

Item loss (e.g. cars or pets)

3.9%

Injury

2.2%

Others

17.9%

(number of households = 179)

Reasons for going out

%

Non-emergencies

75.6%

For work

18.6%

Emergencies (e.g. injury or illness)

5.8%

(number of respondents = 86)

Hong Kong Government

Enough

Not enough

Don’t Know/refuse to answer

Was well prepared for this typhoon

68.0%

29.4%

2.6%

Provided enough information for Hong Kong residents to prepare/deal with this typhoon

88.0%

11.5%

0.6%

Disaster preparedness measures

Yes

No

Don’t know/ not applicable

Find the means and methods of getting related information early on

85.1%

14.9%

0.0%

Prepare food reserves early on

77.6%

22.4%

0.0%

Prepare basic medication early on (e.g. fever relievers)

76.9%

22.8%

0.4%

Prepare water reserves early on

69.0%

31.0%

0.0%

Prepare long term medication early on (at least 2 weeks supply)

55.9%

43.8%

0.4%

Learn about disaster preparedness/response early on

51.6%

47.7%

0.7%

Pack a disaster bag early on

45.2%

54.1%

0.7%

(number of respondents = 281)

Dengue fever

Mosquito preventive measures

Yes

No

Using mosquito repellent

25.5%

74.5%

Using mosquito sticker

6.7%

93.3%

Wearing light colored and long clothes during outdoor activities

3.6%

96.4%

Using mosquito net while sleeping

0.2%

99.8%

(Number of respondents = 420)

HK people’s understanding of dengue fever

Yes

No

Don’t know/not applicable

Aware the news of local dengue fever cases in August announced by government

95.4%

3.8%

0.8%

Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquito

91.8%

1.3%

6.9%

Dengue fever is transmitted by Aedes

79.5%

0%

20.5%

(number of respondents = 610)  

Location of frequent mosquito bites in August

Location

Percentage

Near bushy and grassy area

62.4%

At home

42.0%

Location while waiting transportation

39.6%(NT:48.1%;HK:36.4%;KLN:29.3%)

At workplace

26.4%

Location near water source

18.0%

In public transportation

12.4%

Location near construction area

12.0%

(number of respondents = 250) 

Anti-mosquito measures

before government announcement

after government announcement

Remove stagnant water

50.7%

55.7%

Mosquito repellent

40.7%

39.0%

Wearing light-coloured long-sleeved clothes and long trousers

28.7%

29.7%

Electronic mosquito repellent

20.3%

15.6%

Insecticide

19.3%

18.4%

Mosquito sticker

18.9%

17.7%

Mosquito net at the surface of door or window

13.6%

13.3%

Mosquito incense

9.3%

8.5%

Mosquito bracelet

6.7%

4.6%

Mosquito repellent plant

3.0%

2.5%

Mosquito net when sleeping

2.8%

2.8%

Detergent

2.3%

2.5%

(number of respondents = 610) 

The awareness and practice related to climate change have room for improvement

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C on October 8, 2018, urgently appealing to policymakers to rapidly promote major changes at all levels of society to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, because warming of 1.5°C or higher may result in a permanent and irreversible environmental change. Human activities have caused global temperatures to rise by 1°C from pre-industrial levels, and the consequences have been shown through more extreme weather events and the associated disasters and epidemics. Even if the emission reduction targets promised by the countries signing the current Paris Agreement are followed, the global temperature is likely to rise by 3°C by the end of the century. Our surveys show that in the face of this grim situation, there is room for improvement in the awareness and practice related to climate change, disasters and epidemics. For the sake of our future generations, we have a responsibility to promote and implement health and environmental co-benefits behaviours now. Via this series of surveys, we hope that the various government departments can have more data to improve policies and measures related to climate change, disaster preparedness and epidemic prevention. 

In face of the more severe threat of climate change, the public must abandon the old idea of Hong Kong as a blessed land, and actively prepare for disasters, including preparing fire-fighting equipment, first-aid kits, medications and emergency supplies at home, learning disaster preparedness and relief knowledge and taking first-aid courses, and preparing for disaster bags, etc. To cope with mosquito hazards and the related epidemics worsened by climate change, the public cannot take these issues lightly. In addition to relying on the government's measures on preventing mosquito bites and mosquito breeding, they should also strengthen their awareness of mosquito hazards and step up relevant preventive measures.