Population exposure disparities between residential and working areas during a cold wave event in Changchun, China

Abstract

Global warming has increased extreme weather events. While the impact of cold waves on humans remains significant, corresponding research is limited. Therefore, the cold exposure risk in residential and working areas of Changchun, China, during a cold wave event was investigated, and geographically weighted regression analysis was used to study the exposure disparities among cold-sensitive populations. Significant differences in cold exposure risk were found between residential and working areas. Cold exposure levels increased with the degree of urbanization. In the first ring, the CEI for residential areas reached 1.82, and for working areas, it was 1.85, indicating the highest exposure risk. Peripheral areas (fourth ring) exhibited much lower exposure risks. In residential areas, low-rent housing residents and women had overexposure rates of 98% and 62%, respectively. In working areas, workers without toilet facilities and unemployed individuals had overexposure rates of 21% and 39%, respectively. These findings highlight the disparities in cold exposure among different regions and social groups during cold waves, providing crucial scientific evidence for urban planning and public health policy development.