Why RFK Jr.’s Public Health Agenda Threatens Us All
Former Philadelphia Health Commissioner Warns That Gutting the CDC, Undermining Vaccines, and Politicizing Science Will Leave the U.S. Dangerously Unprepared for the Next Pandemic
Population Health
Blog Post
Navigating Climate Perceptions Through Communication Strategies
LDI Fellow Shows What Could Move the Needle on Climate
Print:
2023 was the hottest recorded year on Earth. Despite the scientific evidence, public perceptions of climate change are more complex to understand. Recent research by LDI Senior Fellow Dolores Albarracín and colleague Timothy Hyde sheds light on a new factor in understanding how people think of climate change: exposure to record-breaking heat. The study “Record-Breaking Heat Days Disproportionately Influence Heat Perceptions,” reveals that extreme heat events significantly raise perceptions of excessive heat in the United States. This indicates the importance of media coverage and effective communication strategies in changing opinions related to complex weather patterns. As shown in the graphic, high temperatures have the most dramatic impact on the perceptions of those who are more skeptical of climate science, consumers of conservative media, and Republicans.
Albarracín and colleagues urge the importance of customized communication strategies to effectively communicate the urgency and reality of climate change—bridging the gap between unprecedented temperatures and public comprehension.
The study, “Record-Breaking Heat Days Disproportionately Influence Heat Perceptions,” was published on October 9, 2023 in Scientific Reports. Authors include Timothy Hyde and Dolores Albarracín.
Author
Mackenzie Bolas
Policy Coordinator
More on Population Health
New Parents Put Infants’ Health First, While Their Own Suffers
Rural Parents Had More Emergency Visits and Insurance Loss Than Urban Peers, an LDI Study Shows. Integrated Baby Visits Could Help All Parents Be Healthier
U.S. Children Are Suffering: A Generation Grows Up Sicker, Sadder, and Dying Sooner
From Anxiety and Loneliness to Obesity and Gun Deaths, a Sweeping New Study Uncovers a Devastating Decline in the Health and Well-Being of U.S. Children
Pennsylvania’s Cannabis Wave Is Already Here — And Our Mental Health System Isn’t Ready
Before Lawmakers Do Full Legalization, We Must Face the Reality: High-Potency Marijuana Already Harms Kids and Adults Alike
Policy Talk Isn’t Cheap; It Can Affect Your Health
Just Discussing Punitive or Supportive Policies—Even Before They’re Enacted—Can Impact Physical and Mental Health, Especially for Marginalized Groups, LDI Fellow Says
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Less Maternity Care
Chart of the Day: New Study Maps Maternity Care Gaps in Smoke-Prone U.S. Counties