Testing Interventions to Mitigate the Health Impact of Heatwaves on Primary School Children in Climate-vulnerable Districts of Bangladesh.

Description

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the impact of implementing a combination of heat education and school-based physical infrastructure interventions in reducing heat related illnesses and improving educational outcomes among primary school children aged 7-14 years in two climate-vulnerable districts of Bangladesh. The main questions it aims to answer are: Whether different combinations of heat education and physical infrastructure interventions can reduce indoor classroom temperatures and heat-related illnesses and improve the health and mental well-being of primary school children. Whether these interventions can improve educational outcomes among primary school children and provide cost-effective and scalable solutions for heat mitigation in low-resource settings. Researchers will compare different combinations of interventions, including: (1) heat education with solar reflective paint, (2) heat education with bamboo ceiling and polyethylene foam, and (3) heat education with both solar reflective paint and bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, to assess their relative cost-effectiveness. The interventions will be implemented in BRAC Education Programme-run primary schools in Gaibandha and Kurigram districts. Children will be the primary participants of the study. Researchers will assess changes in classroom indoor temperature, heat-related health outcomes and mental well-being among children, as well as their school attendance and academic performance. The study will also explore potential scalability of the interventions in similar settings.

Interventions

• Solar reflective paint (Other)
  Solar reflective paint is a special type of paint used to lower surface temperature in tin-roofs. It works by generating an obstacle between the sun and the tin-roofs. It has ingredients (colour particles) that are designed to reflect ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. When it is used in a tin-roof house, it reduces the impact of direct sunlight on the surface of the tin roof and decrease internal temperature of the house.
• Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam (Other)
  Bamboo ceiling combined with polyethylene foam will be utilized for thermal insulation in tin-roof houses. Bamboo, known for its natural insulation properties, acts as a barrier between the tin roof and living space, providing passive cooling. Polyethylene foam further prevents heat transfer, enhancing the insulation. The combination of these materials creates a two-layer system, which is hypothesized to be more effective at reducing indoor temperatures than using either material alone.
• Heat education toolkit (Behavioral)
  The heat education toolkit will be co-created by the research team with input from students, government and non-government stakeholders, parents, teachers, and healthcare providers. The toolkit will be used in the classrooms to educate students on the negative impacts of heatwaves and how to cope with it. The lessons will be interactive and cover different topics such as what is a heatwave, why heatwaves occur, the effects of heatwaves on the environment and humans, and what can be done to minimize the impacts of heatwaves.

Eligibility criteria

Conditions

Locations

• BRAC Schools — Gaibandha, Rangpur Division, Bangladesh
• BRAC Schools — Kurigram, Rangpur Division, Bangladesh