TY  - JOUR
AU  - Portela Dos Santos, Omar
AU  - Alves, Paulo Jorge Pereira
AU  - Verloo, Henk
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/3/25
TI  - Exploring Climate Change’s Impact on the Cardiopulmonary Health of Adults Living in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland: Protocol for a Development and Usability Pilot Study
JO  - JMIR Res Protoc
SP  - e67128
VL  - 14
KW  - climate change
KW  - global warming
KW  - emergency department
KW  - emergency nursing
KW  - sustainable care
KW  - ecological medicine
KW  - cardiopulmonary
KW  - cardio health
KW  - Valais
KW  - Switzerland
KW  - pilot study
KW  - study protocol
KW  - humanity
KW  - air pollution
KW  - impact
KW  - comorbidities
KW  - adults
KW  - mixed methods design
KW  - feasibility
KW  - health promotion
KW  - disease prevention
KW  - acceptability
AB  - Background: Climate change is affecting public health and well-being. In 2016, Swiss emergency departments (EDs) treated 1,722,000 cases, with 4718 daily admissions. In 2023, the ED of Sion Regional Hospital recorded 75,000 consultations. The links between climate change and health are complex, necessitating urgent research on its impact on cardiopulmonary health in Valais, Switzerland. Raising awareness among frontline professionals is crucial for developing health promotion and disease prevention strategies. Objective: This study explores the preliminary effects of climate change on cardiopulmonary health in Valais and assesses adult patients’ knowledge of its health consequences. Findings will inform adaptations in patient care, health promotion, and disease prevention at Sion Hospital’s ED. The feasibility of patient selection and data collection will also be evaluated. Methods: Using a convergent, parallel, mixed methods design, data will be collected from September 21, 2024, to September 20, 2025, with a target sample of 60 patients. The quantitative phase will examine patient recruitment feasibility, consultation reasons, and triage levels, correlating them with climate variables (temperature, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and ozone). It will also analyze sociodemographic profiles. The qualitative phase will explore patients’ knowledge of climate change and its potential links to their ED visits. The feasibility and acceptability of the study process will be assessed. The protocol follows the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) Extension for Pilot and Feasibility Trials. Results: Data collection started on September 21, 2024, following the approval by the ethical commission. Data collection will take place over 1 year, until September 20, 2025. Conclusions: This study will test the feasibility of a larger investigation and examine potential associations between Valais’ changing microclimate and population health. Findings will establish patient profiles and explore their perceptions and knowledge of climate change, informing future health interventions. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/67128 
SN  - 1929-0748
UR  - https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e67128
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/67128
DO  - 10.2196/67128
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/67128
ER  -