About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if structural and behavioral interventions can mitigate the health effects of extreme heat in rural Malaysian communities. The study focuses on implementing cool roofs (a passive cooling system) and heat literacy education to improve heat adaptation behaviors. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does the implementation of cool roofs reduce indoor temperatures and related heat stress in rural households? * Does heat literacy education improve community awareness and behaviors related to coping with extreme heat?
Researchers will compare four groups: one receiving both cool roofs and heat literacy interventions, one receiving only the cool roof intervention, one receiving only heat literacy education, and a control group receiving neither intervention. Participants will be asked to:
* Have their roofs painted with UV-resistant white paint (for cool roof intervention groups). * Participate in educational sessions and training on heat-related health risks and coping strategies (for heat literacy intervention groups). * Complete baseline and follow-up surveys at 3, 6, and 12 months. * Wear a Garmin Vivosmart 5 sensor for two weeks during each data collection period to monitor heart rate, physical activity, and sleep patterns.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Adults aged at least 18 years old
Willing to participate in all study components
Consent to roof painting and installation of heat and humidity measurement devices
Consent to wear the supplied wearables (Garmin Vivosmart 5) for data collection
Disqualifiers
Individuals belonging to one household with existing participants
Bedridden individuals or those requiring assistance in movement
Single-story house
Main house measurement less than 1200 sqft
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Heat Literacy Intervention
- Structural (Cool Roof) Intervention
Treatment groups
Sponsors and collaborators
Monash University Malaysia
Lead sponsor
Monash University
Collaborator
Heidelberg University
Collaborator
Ministry of Health, Malaysia
Collaborator