Staying cool at home: Cooling practices, barriers, and possibilities for disabled people's experiences of managing summer heat in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Drawing on results from a novel online qualitative survey, we explore the experiences of disabled people residing in Aotearoa New Zealand during the summer months, considering how individuals manage home temperature, how well their dwellings support their thermal needs, and any barriers to preferred cooling practices. Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by climate change, while at the same time facing poor quality, inaccessible and inappropriate housing and high rates of energy poverty. Some members of the community also have physical thermoregulation needs requiring specific indoor temperatures. It is therefore important that the voices of disabled people are prioritised when considering policy responses to changing cooling practices and needs in a warming environment. Data from an online qualitative survey were analysed using thematic analysis to determine key themes: “Just getting through”; ‘Control over the home space’; and ‘Access and inclusion.’ These themes address participants' extensive efforts to maintain thermal comfort due to the significant risks of unhealthy thermal environments, the interpersonal dynamics at play within households, and the barriers to accessing the wider built environment due to poor thermal conditions. These findings assert the need for more research and practice to support the thermal wellbeing of disabled people in Aotearoa New Zealand, year-round. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of qualitative survey as a method for environmental health research, especially as an accessible way for disabled people to participate in research.