Over a third of Americans worry about getting the flu, RSV, or COVID-19

RSV knowledge has improved but great uncertainty remains, survey finds

Reports and Proceedings

ANNENBERG PUBLIC POLICY CENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

 

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OVER A THIRD OF U.S. ADULTS ARE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING COVID-19, THE FLU, OR RSV OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. FROM THE ANNENBERG PUBLIC POLICY CENTER'S ANNENBERG SCIENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH KNOWLEDGE SURVEYS IN JANUARY AND OCTOBER 2023.

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CREDIT: ANNENBERG PUBLIC POLICY CENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

PHILADELPHIA – Over a third of American adults are worried that they or someone in their family will get the seasonal flu, Covid-19, or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) in the next three months, according to a new health survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

Those three viral illnesses made up the “tripledemic” of respiratory illnesses that overwhelmed some health care facilities last winter. Although RSV typically peaks later in the year, this month hospitals in parts of Texas are already seeing emergency rooms filled with children with RSV.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that often causes mild, cold-like symptoms but can be serious and require hospitalization among infants and older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There’s no consensus among U.S. adults on which virus is more likely to cause severe illness: 22% say Covid-19, 13% say RSV, 7% say seasonal flu, and 41% say they are equally likely to cause severe illness. Sixteen percent are not sure.

The Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey, which was conducted October 5-12, 2023, with a panel of over 1,500 U.S. adults, finds that Americans generally are more knowledgeable about RSV today than earlier this year. Over the spring and summer, health authorities approved new vaccines against RSV specifically for adults age 60 and older and for pregnant people as a way to protect their newborns.

Highlights

• RSV concern: 35% worry that they or someone in their family will get RSV in the next three months, up from 32% in January 2023. About two-thirds (65%) are not worried.
• Covid-19 concern: 35% are worried that they or someone in their family will get Covid-19 in the next three months, up from 21% in August 2023 but similar to last winter (36% in January 2023). About two-thirds (65%) are not worried.
• Flu concern: 39% are worried that they or someone in their family will contract the seasonal flu in the next three months, statistically unchanged from January 2023. Six in 10 people (61%) are not worried.
• Complications: Nearly 1 in 3 people (31%) say they personally know someone who believes they are suffering long-term health complications as a result of getting infected with Covid-19. One in 6 (17%) say they personally know someone who believes they are suffering long-term health complications as a result of getting infected with Covid-19.
• Fewer say they’ve had a flu shot: At the time the survey was fielded (Oct. 5-12, 2023), 21% said they had received the flu shot this season, compared with 26% in mid-October 2022 and 38% in the second week of November 2021.

“Because getting a flu shot yearly not only helps to protect us from serious infection but also predicts our acceptance of other CDC-recommended vaccines, the drop in reported flu vaccination we see reflected in our panel is worrisome,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center and director of the survey.

APPC’s Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge survey

The survey data come from the 13th wave of a nationally representative panel of 1,559 U.S. adults, first empaneled in April 2021, conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent market research company. This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey was fielded October 5-12, 2023, and has a margin of sampling error (MOE) of ± 3.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add to 100%. Combined subcategories may not add to totals in the topline and text due to rounding.

The policy center has been tracking the American public’s knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding vaccination, Covid-19, flu, RSV, and other consequential health issues through this survey panel over the past two-and-a-half years. In addition to Jamieson, APPC’s team on the survey includes research analyst Shawn Patterson Jr.; Patrick E. Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute, and Ken Winneg, managing director of survey research.

A prior news release on this survey showed how public confidence in vaccines has declined and more people are accepting of misinformation about vaccines over the past couple of years.

Download the topline and the methods report.

RSV and vaccines

Knowledge about RSV is generally up, though not enthusiasm for the vaccine.

Two vaccines against RSV for adults 60 and older were approved in May by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and in June, the CDC recommended that such older adults “may receive a single dose of RSV vaccine” upon consultation with their health care provider.

In August, the FDA approved, and the CDC later recommended, an RSV vaccine for pregnant individuals to be given during weeks 32 to 36 of pregnancy to protect babies born during RSV season. (During the summer, the FDA and CDC also signed off on a monoclonal antibody injection – which is not a vaccine – to be administered to newborns to protect against RSV.)

The survey on RSV and the vaccines found a mixed reception for the RSV preventives:

• The vaccine for older adults: Over half of those surveyed (55%) say they would be likely to recommend that a friend or family member age 60 or older talk with their health care provider about whether to get the RSV vaccine, a statistically significant decline from 61% in August 2023.
• The vaccine during pregnancy: People are split on whether to recommend the RSV vaccine to a pregnant friend or family member. Told that the CDC recommended this new vaccine against RSV for pregnant individuals to protect their infants: 45% would not recommend it and 43% would. (The question was not previously asked in this form.)
• The monoclonal antibody injection for infants: 42% say they would be likely to recommend the monoclonal antibody injection for an infant and 35% would not, no significant change since August.

What do people know about RSV?

Knowledge about RSV and the vaccines has grown slightly since summer on some survey items. On most of these questions, more people are unsure than knowledgeable:

• Does an RSV vaccine for older adults exist? More people know there is an FDA-approved vaccine against RSV for older adults (42%, up from 23% in August and 13% in June), though over half of those surveyed (53%) are not sure.
• RSV symptoms: There’s been growth in the number of people who know that RSV is more likely to produce mild, cold-like symptoms (23%, up from 18% in June 2023) than serious difficulties in breathing – but even more incorrectly choose the latter (38%) and another 38% are not sure.
• The virus’s staying power: More know that RSV can survive for many hours on hard surfaces such as tables or crib rails (26%, up from 17% in June 2023) than those who say it cannot (7%) – but two-thirds of those surveyed (67%) are not sure.
• Repeat illness: More know that once a person contracts RSV it’s possible to get it again (48%, up from 38% in June 2023), though half (50%) are unsure.
• Pre-symptomatic spread: Nearly half (46%, unchanged from August 2023) know it is possible to spread RSV before showing symptoms, though half (51%) are unsure.
• When RSV season occurs: Nearly two-thirds (63%, up from 43% in June) know that fall and winter are the times of year when someone is most likely to contract RSV, though 21% are not sure.
• RSV’s prevalence among infants: Almost no one knows how common RSV is among infants. Asked how many children get RSV before the age of two: 14% say few, 31% say some, 10% say most, 4% (correctly) say virtually all and 42% are not sure. According to the CDC, nearly all children are infected before their second birthday.

In addition to the CDC sites linked above, for more information see the Q&As at FactCheck.org, a project of APPC, on the RSV vaccines for older adults and pregnant people.

Knowledge of the flu

As noted earlier, 21% of the U.S. adults surveyed say they received the seasonal flu shot as of Oct. 12, 2023, compared with 26% as of Oct. 18, 2022, and 38% as of Nov. 9, 2021. The survey response runs close to the CDC estimate that, as of Oct. 14, 2023, 22.2% of the adult population had received a flu shot.

But the survey also finds that the same proportion of people (50% likely, 50% unlikely) say they plan to get the flu shot this season as in October 2022. If that holds, it suggests that fewer people will be on track to be vaccinated against flu this year than last year. Total U.S. adult vaccination against the flu ran lower last season (46.9%) than in the prior, 2021-22 season (49.4%), though it is higher than it was a decade ago.

Most know (79%) the effectiveness of the flu shot can vary from year to year. Fewer people say the current flu shot is effective at reducing the risk of getting seasonal flu this year (65%, down from 73% in January 2023) and fewer say the current shot is effective at reducing the risk of getting a severe case of seasonal flu (71%, down from 77% in January). The CDC says the effectiveness of the shot varies each season, but vaccination generally reduces the risk of getting the flu by 40% to 60% when the circulating flu viruses are well-matched to those used to make the vaccines. The shot can keep you from getting sick with the flu, and has been shown to reduce the severity of illness in vaccinated people who get sick, the CDC says.

Knowledge of the flu. From the Annenberg Public Policy Center's Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge survey Oct. 5-12, 2023.

What U.S. adults know about RSV. From the Annenberg Public Policy Center's Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge surveys May-Oct 2023.

The survey found:

• The flu and pregnancy: A quarter of those surveyed (24%) know that a pregnant person who gets the flu is at higher risk of delivering the baby early, unchanged from June 2023. But 32% say this is false and 45% are not sure.
• Flu shot protection: Half (51%) know the flu shot protects both pregnant people and their babies from serious health problems during and after pregnancy. Nearly a third (30%) are not sure. This is unchanged from June.
• One visit, two shots: For the first time, the CDC said this fall that the flu shot and Covid-19 vaccine could be administered in the same visit to a health care provider. Two-thirds (66%) know a person can get a seasonal flu shot and the Covid-19 booster in one visit to a health care provider or pharmacy.
• Masks and the flu: Over 7 in 10 people (71%) know that wearing a high-quality, well-fitting mask helps limit the spread of flu viruses, down from 77% in January 2023. The number who consider that statement false is up, to 19% from 14% in January. Our prior survey release also found that 75% say they never or rarely wear a mask indoors when with people who are not from their household.
• No treatment for flu: Nearly a third (30%) incorrectly say there is no treatment for the flu, up from 23% in January 2023.
• Tamiflu: Most survey respondents (61%) correctly disagree with the statement that because Tamiflu is available to treat the seasonal flu, there’s no longer a need for people to get a flu shot. But the number who disagree is down from 65% in January 2023.
• Flu shot for older people: Less than 1 in 5 people (18%) know that individuals 65 and older should get an annual flu shot with a higher dosage than the one for younger people, while 30% say those 65+ should get the same dose as the one for younger people, 4% say they should get a lower dose than the one given to younger people, 7% say they should not get an annual flu shot and 42% are not sure.
• What effect does the shot have? Nearly half (48%) say the flu shot doesn’t stop you from getting the flu but makes it less severe; 22% say it keeps a vaccinated person who is exposed to the flu from getting sick with it; 7% say the shot has “no effect one way or the other” on whether an exposed person gets the flu; 4% say getting the shot increases the chances that a person who is exposed to the flu will get sick with it; and 20% are not sure.

Why get a flu shot?

When those who have received the flu shot were asked why they decided to get it this season, this is how they responded (more than one response is permitted):

• I get it every year (78% yes; 22% no, the same as October 2022)
• I want to protect myself against catching the flu (64% yes; 36% no, up from October 2022, when it was 47% yes; 53% no).
• I want to protect myself against Covid-19 (13% yes; 87% no, up from October 2022, when it was 3% yes; 97% no). The flu shot does not protect against Covid-19. The increase in the people who believe there is some interaction between the flu shot and Covid-19 can also be seen in a previously released finding: More people incorrectly think getting a flu shot increases your risk of getting Covid-19 (9% say this is true, up from 6% in January 2023). There is no evidence of this, as written up by FactCheck.org.
• It is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (31% yes; 69% no, statistically unchanged from January 2023).

Getting the Covid-19 booster

More U.S. adults say they are likely to recommend the fall Covid-19 booster to older adults in their family (52%) than to babies-to-preteens (44%) or to get it themselves (40%).

• Covid-19 booster for adults: More people say they are unlikely to get the new fall Covid-19 booster (44%) than to get it (40%). (Asked of a half-sample.)
• Covid-19 booster for children: People are about evenly divided on how likely they are to have a child in their family get the booster this fall. If they had a child age 6 months to 12 years who is eligible for the booster, 44% say they are likely to have the child get the booster and 43% say they are unlikely to do so.
• Covid-19 booster for age 65+: Over half (52%) say that if someone in their family age 65 or older is eligible for the booster, they would recommend that that person take it, while 39% say they are unlikely to recommend it.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center was established in 1993 to educate the public and policy makers about communication’s role in advancing public understanding of political, science, and health issues at the local, state, and federal levels. Read about our science and health surveys.

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METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

 

Nations must go further than current Paris pledges or face global warming of 2.5-2.9°C  

Emissions Gap Report 2023: Broken Record – Temperatures hit new highs, yet world fails to cut emissions (again)

Reports and Proceedings

UNEP DIVISION OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

• Predicted 2030 emissions must fall by 28-42 per cent for pathway to 2°C and 1.5°C 
• Relentless mitigation and low-carbon transformations essential to narrow emissions gap 
• COP28 and Global Stocktake chance to build greater ambition for next round of climate pledges
•  

Nairobi, 20 November 2023 – As global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions break records, the latest Emissions Gap Report from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) finds that current pledges under the Paris Agreement put the world on track for a 2.5-2.9°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels this century, pointing to the urgent need for increased climate action.  

Released ahead of the 2023 climate summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Emissions Gap Report 2023: Broken Record – Temperatures hit new highs, yet world fails to cut emissions (again), finds that global low-carbon transformations are needed to deliver cuts to predicted 2030 greenhouse gas emissions of 28 per cent for a 2°C pathway and 42 per cent for a 1.5°C pathway. 

“We know it is still possible to make the 1.5 degree limit a reality. It requires tearing out the poisoned root of the climate crisis: fossil fuels. And it demands a just, equitable renewables transition,” said Antònio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.  

Maintaining the possibility of achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goals hinges on significantly strengthening mitigation this decade to narrow the emissions gap. This will facilitate more ambitious targets for 2035 in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and increase the chances of meeting net-zero pledges, which now cover around 80 per cent of global emissions.

“There is no person or economy left on the planet untouched by climate change, so we need to stop setting unwanted records on greenhouse gas emissions, global temperature highs and extreme weather,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “We must instead lift the needle out of the same old groove of insufficient ambition and not enough action, and start setting other records: on cutting emissions, on green and just transitions and on climate finance.” 

Broken records 

Until the beginning of October this year, 86 days were recorded with temperatures over 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. September was the hottest recorded month ever, with global average temperatures 1.8°C above pre-industrial levels.  

The report finds that global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased by 1.2 per cent from 2021 to 2022 to reach a new record of 57.4 Gigatonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (GtCO2e). GHG emissions across the G20 increased by 1.2 per cent in 2022. Emissions trends reflect global patterns of inequality. Because of these worrying trends and insufficient mitigation efforts, the world is on track for a temperature rise far beyond the agreed climate goals during this century. 

If mitigation efforts implied by current policies are continued at today’s levels, global warming will only be limited to 3°C above pre-industrial levels in this century. Fully implementing efforts implied by unconditional Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) would put the world on track for limiting temperature rise to 2.9°C. Conditional NDCs fully implemented would lead to temperatures not exceeding 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels. All of these are with a 66 per cent chance. 

These temperature projections are slightly higher than in the 2022 Emissions Gap Report, as the 2023 report includes a larger number of models in the estimation of global warming. 

Current unconditional NDCs imply that additional emissions cuts of 14 GtCO2e are needed in 2030 over predicted levels for 2°C. Cuts of 22 GtCO2e are needed for 1.5°C. The implementation of conditional NDCs reduces both these estimates by 3 GtCO2e. 

In percentage terms, the world needs to cut 2030 emissions by 28 per cent to get on track to achieve the 2°C goal of the Paris Agreement, with a 66 per cent chance, and 42 per cent for the 1.5°C goal.  

If all conditional NDCs and long-term net-zero pledges were met, limiting the temperature rise to 2°C would be possible. However, net-zero pledges are not currently considered credible: none of the G20 countries are reducing emissions at a pace consistent with their net-zero targets. Even in the most optimistic scenario, the likelihood of limiting warming to 1.5°C is only 14 per cent. 

Some progress, but not enough 

Policy progress since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 has reduced the implementation gap, defined as the difference between projected emissions under current policies and full NDC implementation. GHG emissions in 2030 based on policies in place were projected to increase by 16 per cent at the time of the adoption of the Paris Agreement. Today, the projected increase is 3 per cent.  

As of 25 September, nine countries had submitted new or updated NDCs since COP27 in 2022, bringing the total number of updated NDCs to 149. If all new and updated unconditional NDCs are fully implemented, they would likely reduce GHG emissions by about 5.0 GtCO2e, about 9 per cent of 2022 emissions, annually by 2030, compared with the initial NDCs.  

However, unless emission levels in 2030 are brought down further, it will become impossible to establish least-cost pathways that limit global warming to 1.5°C with no or low overshoot during this century. Significantly ramping up implementation in this decade is the only way to avoid significant overshoot of 1.5°C.  

Low-carbon development transformations  

The report calls for all nations to deliver economy-wide, low-carbon development transformations, with a focus on the energy transition. The coal, oil and gas extracted over the lifetime of producing and planned mines and fields would emit over 3.5 times the carbon budget available to limit warming to 1.5°C, and almost the entire budget available for 2°C. 

Countries with greater capacity and responsibility for emissions – particularly high-income and high-emitting countries among the G20 – will need to take more ambitious and rapid action and provide financial and technical support to developing nations. As low- and middle-income countries already account for more than two thirds of global GHG emissions, meeting development needs with low-emissions growth is a priority in such nations – such as addressing energy demand patterns and prioritizing clean energy supply chains. 

The low-carbon development transition poses economic and institutional challenges for low- and middle-income countries, but also provides significant opportunities. Transitions in such countries can help to provide universal access to energy, lift millions out of poverty and expand strategic industries. The associated energy growth can be met efficiently and equitably with low-carbon energy as renewables get cheaper, ensuring green jobs and cleaner air. 

To achieve this, international financial assistance will have to be significantly scaled up, with new public and private sources of capital restructured through financing mechanisms – including debt financing, long-term concessional finance, guarantees and catalytic finance – that lower the costs of capital.  

COP28 and the Global Stocktake 

The first Global Stocktake (GST), concluding at COP28, will inform the next round of NDCs that countries should submit in 2025, with targets for 2035. Global ambition in the next round of NDCs must bring GHG emissions in 2035 to levels consistent with 2°C and 1.5°C pathways, while compensating for excess emissions until levels consistent with these pathways are achieved. 

The preparation of the next round of NDCs offers the opportunity for low- and middle-income countries to develop national roadmaps with ambitious development and climate policies, and targets for which finance and technology needs are clearly specified. COP28 should ensure that international support is provided for the development of such roadmaps. 

Carbon dioxide removal 

The report finds that delaying GHG emissions reductions will increase future reliance on carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide removal is already being deployed, mainly through afforestation, reforestation and forest management. Current direct removals through land-based methods are estimated at 2 GtCO2e annually. However, least-cost pathways assume considerable increases in both conventional and novel carbon dioxide removal – such as direct air carbon capture and storage. 

Achieving higher levels of carbon dioxide removal remains uncertain and associated with risks: around land competition, protection of tenure and rights and other factors. Upscaling of novel carbon dioxide removal methods are associated with different types of risks, including that the technical, economic and political requirements for large-scale deployment may not materialize in time.  

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) 

UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. 

For more information please contact:

News and Media Unit, UN Environment Programme 

 

In many major crop regions, workers plant and harvest in spiraling heat and humidity

Rice, maize are most affected globally; production declines could loom

Peer-Reviewed Publication

COLUMBIA CLIMATE SCHOOL

 

IMAGE: 

A RICE FARMER OUTSIDE YEN BAI, VIETNAM. 

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CREDIT: DANNIE DINH/INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE AND SOCIETY

A global study of major crops has found that farmworkers are being increasingly exposed to combinations of extreme heat and humidity during planting and harvest seasons that can make it hard for them to function. Such conditions have nearly doubled across the world since 1979, the authors report, a trend that could eventually hinder cultivation. The most affected crop is rice, the world’s number one staple, followed closely by maize. As temperatures rise, the trend has accelerated in recent years, with some regions seeing 15-day per-decade increases in extreme humid heat during cultivation seasons.

The study appears today in the journal Environmental Research Communications.

“If this affects humans’ ability to grow food, that’s serious,” said lead author Connor Diaz, who did the research as a Columbia University undergraduate student with scientists at the university’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. “The global food chain is all connected, and the danger is, this will impact crop production.”

Higher temperatures alone are oppressive, but high relative humidity greatly increases the effects. We cool our bodies by expelling sweat, which contains excess body heat; then, when the sweat evaporates, that heat is carried away. But the more the air is laden with moisture, the less efficiently evaporation can take place—the reason muggy days feel so bad. High humidity is especially prevalent in major tropical and subtropical crop regions in river deltas and near coasts, which supply plenty of moisture for the air to soak up.

Multiple recent studies have already documented increases in extreme combinations of heat and humidity across the world. A 2021 study by Columbia scientists found that the number of city dwellers exposed to extreme humid heat has tripled since the 1980s, affecting more than a fifth of the world population. A 2020 study also out of Columbia found that potentially fatal heat-humidity combinations previously not predicted to appear until mid-century are already popping up in many areas. The new study is the first to look at the effects on farmworkers specifically during cultivation seasons.

Combined heat and humidity are gauged on the “wet bulb” scale, which factors in air temperature, water-vapor content and wind conditions. The authors of the new study define 27 degrees Centigrade wet-bulb as the point where farmworkers will begin struggling. Depending on the exact combination of conditions, this would be equivalent to between 86 and 105 degrees F on “real feel” heat indexes used by popular media.

Some earlier studies have defined 30C wet bulb—roughly 106F or more “real feel”—as extreme for everyday tasks, but farmworkers toiling under direct sun many hours a day may crumble well before that.

The new study found that many major agricultural regions already experience three months of 27C conditions or worse during the year as a whole. These include the Amazon, northern Colombia and parts of Mexico; the coasts of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf; southeast Asia; and much of Malaysia and Indonesia. Countries that see two months or more include Senegal, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon and the northern region of Australia.

On shorter time scales, during the crucial planting and harvest seasons, close to half of the world’s rice cropland is already subject to extreme conditions at some point each year, according to the study. For maize the number is about a third. (That rice is more affected is not a surprise, said Diaz; it is generally grown in water-saturated conditions in already hot climates, while maize is often raised in drier, more northerly regions.)

For rice, the highest farmworker exposure is in Bangladesh, with more than 60 days of high humid heat during cultivation seasons. Other regions with high exposure include Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Myanmar’s Irawaddy Delta, much of Indonesia and Malaysia, parts of coastal Mexico, and the Amazon.  For the maize seasons, the highest potential worker exposure encompasses much of Pakistan, the Mekong Delta, northern Colombia, Venezuela, the Philippines, and parts of coastal Mexico and coastal Iran.

The researchers identified 10 other major crops affected to lesser but significant extents, including sorghum, soybeans, potatoes, millet and yams.

“In places like the Amazon, these conditions are already common, and sadly, people have adapted to it, because they have to,” said study coauthor Mingfang Ting, a climate scientist at Lamont-Doherty. She noted that areas with the worst heat and humidity tend to be the same ones where conditions are worsening the fastest. If the same rates of increase continue in coming decades, she said, people may not be able to cope any longer. “The curve is going up so fast. It’s the trend that really makes it worse,” she said.

So far, the bulk of research on the future effects of climate change on food production has focused on the crops themselves, especially the results of dry heat and drought. But a 2021 paper led by Purdue University predicts that if average global temperatures go up by 3 degrees C—which some scientists think may happen this century—it would reduce agricultural laborers’ work capacity by 30% to 50% and lead to substantial increases in food prices. That study does not explicitly take in the added effects of high humidity.

Another recent paper looking at heat risk to the over 1 million hired agricultural workers in the United States found that they are already 20 times more likely to die of  illnesses related to heat stress than U.S. civilian workers overall. Apart from the nature of their work, their risks are compounded by poverty and lack of access to health care, the study says—conditions that are common in many of the areas covered by the new heat and humidity study.

The most common means of adapting to rising temperatures in the U.S. and most other countries has been to shift work hours into the night. Allowing workers to reduce their pace and effort, and increasing break times can also help, and some U.S. states and countries such as Spain have mandated such measures. But these efforts reduce worker productivity, which may feed into higher food prices. And fancier adaptations, like air-conditioned retreat spaces and air-conditioned tractors are simply not feasible in much of the world.

“The issue of heat and humidity takes on a whole new dimension when you think about someone who has to work outside all day long under the sun,” said Diaz. Many receive a piecework rate, or are simply trying to raise enough to subsist on, he points out. “That kind of incentive pushes people to work harder and longer than is safe, and people will pay,” he said.

CAPTION

Upward changes over the past four decades in extreme humid heat days over the calendar year in crop-producing regions. Warmer colors indicate faster increases. 

CREDIT

Adapted from Diaz et al., Environmental Research Communications, 2023)

Maize farmer, southeastern Mali.

CREDIT

Francesco Fiondella/International Research Institute for Climate and Society

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JOURNAL

Environmental Research Communications

DOI

10.1088/2515-7620/ad028d 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Increased Extreme Humid Heat Hazard Faced by Agricultural Workers

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

 

Understanding children’s views on the perfect school | Bentham Science

Book Announcement

BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS

Young Voices Unheard: Children’s Views from Scotland and Greece on Education is a new book published by Bentham Science that attempts to explore the question of how young children view the concepts of Children’s rights.

Giving children an opportunity to voice their ideas on their education is necessary, if we do not want to deprive children of their right to be consulted and their opinions to be listened to and be seriously considered when decisions are made affecting children’s lives (article 12 of the Convention).

The book attempts to give a voice to children aged 5 to 6 years on the education of children their age and then relate these voices to children’s rights as defined in the Convention of the Rights of the Child. More specifically, children’s views on aspects of behavior and rules, learning and play and the physical environment of a school were produced and related to the implementation or not of various provision, protection and participation rights that children are entitled.

The author - Evanthia Synodi – has used a comparative methodology in this work, citing that “it leads to a deeper understanding of education phenomena and the impact of societal factors on them.” Synodi’s work qualitatively focuses on two countries, Scotland and Greece, and each child participated in two focus group sessions.

What the data from both sessions in Scotland and Greece indicates is that articles 12, 19, 28, 29, 31 were important to children in both countries but article 24 was not. They wanted to be consulted when decisions affecting them are made, they wanted to be safe from physical harm, to be educated and to play, but not to eat healthy food. Children not knowing how to claim their place in the decision making process in school suggests that adults need to find ways to better implement article 5 and article 12 at school. Despite the differences in budgets, educational provision and dimensions of their national cultures, the comparative nature of this study indicated two major similarities in children’s views: children’s desire (a) for less control by adults over them and (b) for more play and initiative for children in school, even though they did not deny that they needed guidance from their teachers and that they should learn at school. Throughout the analysis the implementation of article 5 was crucial in accomplishing children acting as right holders became apparent. However, when it comes to young children, like the 5 to 6 year olds participating in this study, one finds that for children to learn that they are right holders and how to be right holders, we need to let them develop and learn through their free play rather than first cripple their freedom (in schools and other environments with no free play or limited play) and then attempt to fix them (the children)! This appears to be problematic in both countries whether the school young children attend is a primary school or a kindergarten.

The findings of this research are particularly useful to teachers as well as policy makers as well as parents and other adults working with young children. Teachers can begin to consider if their practices are similar to the ones children favored or not and attempt to improve them as some of the findings, particularly those in relation to omnipresent control and play, have been recorded by researchers from other countries. Teachers need to consider if they can allow more scope for consultation and children’s participation in decision making, especially when it comes to setting the rules or defining them. Another issue they need to consider is the daily routine and allowing children more time for play and other child initiated activities.

Policy makers can withhold or modify the strictness and rigidness of existing policies, which interfere with the implementation of the children’s rights, other than the right to education, at schools. Children wanting more control over their lives at school is a strong indicator that the predetermined policy and curriculum for young children is overwhelming to many.

Further professional development for teachers as well as policy makers emerges as a significant factor for the creation of a school promoting respect to, protection of and fulfilment of children’s rights. The issue of a healthy diet, that was brought up by the children in focus groups, is another matter that needs to be examined, so that measures can be taken to protect children’s health more effectively.

This book is unique because it researches and relates young children’s views on their education to their rights, because these children attend schools in Scotland and Greece, which had not been done before, and because it employs the method of focus groups for the production of data. For Synodi, studies on comparative education have proven to be a worthwhile endeavour.

Learn more about the book here: https://bit.ly/47yXhnz

 

About Editor:

Dr. Evanthia Synodi is an associate professor of Comparative Preschool Education at the University of Crete, Greece. She was educated as a kindergarten teacher at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and received her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England in 2001. She is interested in Comparative Education, children’s rights, play, antiracist education, initial teacher education and early childhood education.

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DOI

10.2174/97898151246681230101 

 

Bentham Science announces release of "Amazon Web Services: The Definitive Guide for Beginners and Advanced Users"

Book Announcement

BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS

In a world driven by digital transformation, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has emerged as a powerhouse, providing on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments. Bentham Science is delighted to unveil "Amazon Web Services: The Definitive Guide for Beginners and Advanced Users," a comprehensive text that simplifies the complexities of AWS, making it accessible to graduate students, professionals, and academic researchers in computer science, engineering, and information technology.

Key Features: 

1. Hands-On Approach for Beginners:  The book adopts a practical, hands-on approach, ensuring that beginners can dive into AWS with confidence. It covers fundamental topics such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, Elastic Load Balancing, Auto Scaling Groups, and Amazon Simple Storage Service, providing a solid foundation for users.
2. Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Attribute-Based Access Control:  Understanding IAM is crucial in the AWS landscape. The guide delves into AWS's identity and access management resources, emphasizing attribute-based access control to empower users with the knowledge to manage permissions effectively.

1. Comprehensive Coverage of AWS Services:   From serverless computing services and Virtual Private Cloud to Amazon Aurora, Amazon Comprehend, and more, the book offers a thorough exploration of AWS's extensive service offerings. It provides readers with insights into the capabilities and applications of these services.

1. AWS Free Tier, Marketplace, and EC2:  Beginners often seek cost-effective ways to explore AWS. The text addresses this by explaining AWS Free Tier, the Marketplace for third-party applications, and the EC2 Service, allowing users to make informed decisions about their AWS journey.
2. Security and High-Performance Computing:  Security is a top priority in any cloud environment. The book elucidates security measures in AWS, introducing readers to the shared responsibility model. Additionally, it explores high-performance computing on AWS, catering to users with advanced computing needs.

 

How to Get the Book: 

"Amazon Web Services: The Definitive Guide for Beginners and Advanced Users" is available through Bentham Science. https://benthambooks.com/book/9789815165821/contributors/

 

 

  About the Authors: 

1.   Parul Dubey: 

Parul Dubey is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and an author of books and tutorials on Amazon Web Services. As an Assistant Professor, at the Department of AI, G H Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur, Dubey has 15 Indian patents and 10 scholarly publications to her credit.

 

2.   Arvind Kumar Tiwari

Arvind Kumar Tiwari teaches computer science at the Department of CS & IT, Dr. C V Raman University, Bilaspur.

 

3.   Rohit Raja: 

Rohit Raja is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Information Technology, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, India. Raja is an active academic, having published 100 research papers in international and national journals.

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DOI

10.2174/97898151658211230101