Mixed-method study on the perception of residents of rural flood-prone community towards the impacts of climate change and variability on health and wellbeing: Chiniot, Pakistan

Introduction Climate change is the long-term manifestation of climate variability. The study provides an entry point from a rural area and aims to explore residents’ knowledge, perceptions and lived experiences regarding climate change and its variability, as well as their impact on human health and well-being. The study also explored participants’ understanding of the bidirectional relationship, whereby human activities also impact climate change and the overall Planetary Health. Methods A cross-sectional design with a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach was conducted in the Chiniot district. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was employed to enrol a total of 415 participants. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 25 participants selected through purposive sampling. Results The mean age of respondents was 36.17±14.237 years. The mean length of stay in the current area is 30.52±10.94 years with a range of 10 to 65 years. Experiencing a hazard was reported by 392 (94.5%) individuals during the last 10 years. A link between climate change and infectious diseases was reported by 155 (37.3%) of the participants. The rise in the incidence of vector-borne diseases was reported by 110 (26.5%), and waterborne diseases by 130 (31.3%), with mentions of eco-anxiety, heat stress and hypertension during FGDs. Participants had a limited understanding of anthropogenic drivers of climate change, primarily attributing it to the divine will. The narratives remained confined to lived experiences centred on material loss and livelihood; their perceptions lacked integrative links with broader dimensions such as Planetary Health. Conclusion The risk perception of climate change remains low, whereas that of hazards is very high. Although the community understands how seasonal flooding affects human health, livelihoods and local infrastructure, these events are often viewed in isolation rather than as part of a broader trend related to climate change.