Knowledge, Attitude, Risk Perception, and Health-Related Adaptive Behavior of Primary School Children towards Climate Change: A Cross-Sectional Study in China

Abstract

Background: Children are disproportionately affected by climate change while evidence regarding their adaptive behavior and relevant influencing factors is limited. Objectives: We attempted to investigate health-related adaptive behavior towards climate change for primary school children in China and explore potential influencing factors. Methods: We conducted a survey of 8322 primary school children in 12 cities across China. Knowledge, attitude, risk perception, and adaptive behavior scores for children were collected using a designed questionnaire. Weather exposures of cities were collected from 2014 to 2018. We applied a multiple linear regression and mixed-effect regression to assess the influencing factors of adaptive behavior. We also used the structural equation model (SEM) to validate the theoretical framework of adaptive behavior. Results: Most children (76.1%) were aware of climate change. They mainly get information from television, smartphones, and the Internet. A 1 score increase in knowledge, attitude, and risk perception was associated with 0.210, 0.386, and 0.160 increase in adaptive behavior scores, respectively. Females and children having air conditioners or heating systems at home were positively associated with adaptive behavior. Exposure to cold and rainstorms increased the adaptive behavior scores, while heat exposure had the opposite effects. The SEM showed that knowledge was positively associated with attitude and risk perception. Knowledge, attitude, and risk perception corresponded to 31.6%, 22.8%, and 26.1% changes of adaptive behavior, respectively. Conclusion: Most primary school children in China were aware of climate change. Knowledge, attitude, risk perception, cold, and rainstorm exposure were positively associated with health-related adaptive behavior towards climate change.