Exploring the Relationship Between Individuals’ Coping Measures and the Economic Burden of Heat-related Illnesses: Insights from Central Vietnam

Heat-related stress has emerged as a pressing public health concern worldwide with significant socio-economic implications. This study focused on Vietnam, a tropical country that is highly vulnerable to extreme heat events, to investigate the interplay between individuals’ coping measures and the economic burden associated with heat-related illnesses. Employing a two-stage estimation approach, we identified influential factors that shape individuals’ choices regarding coping measures and estimated the treatment effect associated with these decisions. Our findings highlight the significance of background diseases, heat exposure in working conditions, perceived effectiveness of available coping measures, gender and educational attainment of household heads as key determinants of the adoption of coping measures. Furthermore, we demonstrated that pre-existing health conditions, age and a longer duration of exposure influence the economic burden of heat-related illnesses. The results reveal that the effective implementation of both individual and combined coping measures substantially reduces this burden, with multiple measures exhibiting a greater impact than single measures alone. These findings offer valuable insights into policymakers and healthcare providers, enabling them to develop interventions that promote the adoption of coping measures and mitigate the economic consequences of heat-related stress.