Exploring vulnerability to weather extremes: Heat waves and extreme rainfall
(2023) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20232LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- Weather extremes, such as extreme heat and precipitation, are expected to increase in both intensity and duration due to climate change. Previous research suggests members of the acute homeless population are particularly vulnerable to such climatic extreme events. However, this has not been studied earlier in the context of Sweden. In this thesis, I merge the two persistent global problems, weather extremes and homelessness, to a local scale in Lund, Sweden, theorizing everyday life and intersectionality. Firstly, I conducted a systematic literature review to summarize the state of academic knowledge about health effects for the homeless population derived from climatic extremes. Secondly, eight in-depth interviews were conducted with... (More)
- Weather extremes, such as extreme heat and precipitation, are expected to increase in both intensity and duration due to climate change. Previous research suggests members of the acute homeless population are particularly vulnerable to such climatic extreme events. However, this has not been studied earlier in the context of Sweden. In this thesis, I merge the two persistent global problems, weather extremes and homelessness, to a local scale in Lund, Sweden, theorizing everyday life and intersectionality. Firstly, I conducted a systematic literature review to summarize the state of academic knowledge about health effects for the homeless population derived from climatic extremes. Secondly, eight in-depth interviews were conducted with persons experiencing homelessness and experts working at non-governmental organisations with homelessness in Lund. The results suggest heat waves and extreme precipitation have severe impacts on the homeless residents’ health and wellbeing. Experiences of i.e., dehydration, heat stroke, hypothermia and frostbite were described by the respondents. Further, I underline intersecting vulnerabilities to weather extremes, including substance misuse, underlying health problems, gender, nationality, length of homeless episode, mental health, stigma, and shame. I suggest more resources needs to be directed towards helping organisations and provision of free health care. I conclude more research on this topic is needed globally. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9140299
- author
- Eriksson, Pernilla LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MESM02 20232
- year
- 2023
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Weather extremes, Climate vulnerability, Homelessness, Heat waves, Extreme precipitation, Sweden, Sustainability Science
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2023:050
- language
- English
- id
- 9140299
- date added to LUP
- 2023-10-25 08:14:08
- date last changed
- 2023-10-25 08:14:08
@misc{9140299, abstract = {{Weather extremes, such as extreme heat and precipitation, are expected to increase in both intensity and duration due to climate change. Previous research suggests members of the acute homeless population are particularly vulnerable to such climatic extreme events. However, this has not been studied earlier in the context of Sweden. In this thesis, I merge the two persistent global problems, weather extremes and homelessness, to a local scale in Lund, Sweden, theorizing everyday life and intersectionality. Firstly, I conducted a systematic literature review to summarize the state of academic knowledge about health effects for the homeless population derived from climatic extremes. Secondly, eight in-depth interviews were conducted with persons experiencing homelessness and experts working at non-governmental organisations with homelessness in Lund. The results suggest heat waves and extreme precipitation have severe impacts on the homeless residents’ health and wellbeing. Experiences of i.e., dehydration, heat stroke, hypothermia and frostbite were described by the respondents. Further, I underline intersecting vulnerabilities to weather extremes, including substance misuse, underlying health problems, gender, nationality, length of homeless episode, mental health, stigma, and shame. I suggest more resources needs to be directed towards helping organisations and provision of free health care. I conclude more research on this topic is needed globally.}}, author = {{Eriksson, Pernilla}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}}, title = {{Exploring vulnerability to weather extremes: Heat waves and extreme rainfall}}, year = {{2023}}, }