Community-Level Practice Checklists for Health Protection During Cold Spells in China

China CDC Wkly. 2024 Feb 2;6(5):83-87. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2024.018.

Abstract

Communities play a crucial role in protecting the health of vulnerable populations such as the elderly, low-income groups, and high-risk individuals during cold spells. However, current strategies for responding to cold spells primarily consist of programmatic policies that lack practicality, specificity, and detailed implementation guidelines for community workers. Therefore, this study aims to identify and analyze the challenges faced by communities in responding to cold spells, review international experiences, and develop a set of practical checklists for community-level health protection. These checklists will assist community workers and volunteers in effectively preparing for, responding to, and recovering from cold spells.

Keywords: checklist; cold spell; community-level practice; health protection.

Grants and funding

Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (42205181), China Meteorological Administration Climate Change Special Program (CMA-CCSP), National Natural Science Foundation of China (72091514) and the Youth Innovation Team of China Meteorological Administration (CMA2023QN15)