NCT Number: NCT06579963
Ambient air temperatures in Asian, Latin American, African, and Pacific climate hotspots have broken record highs in 2024. Solutions are needed to build heat resilience in communities and adapt to increasing heat from climate change. Sunlight-reflecting cool roof coatings may passively reduce indoor temperatures and energy use to protect home occupants from extreme heat. Occupants living in poor housing conditions globally - for example in informal settlements, slums, and low-socioeconomic households - are susceptible to increased heat exposure.
Heat exposure can instigate and worsen numerous physical, mental and social health conditions. The worst adverse health effects are experienced in communities that are least able to adapt to heat exposure. By reducing indoor temperatures, cool roof application may improve heart health, sleep and physical activity in household occupants.
The long-term research goal is to identify viable passive housing adaptation technologies with proven health benefits to reduce the burden of heat stress in communities affected by heat globally. To meet this goal, the investigators will use smartwatches to measure the effects cool roof application on heart health, sleep and physical activity in four urban climate hotspots: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Hermosillo, Mexico; Ahmedabad, India; and Niue, Oceania.
This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.
Notify Me18 year and older
All sexes
Interventional
Not applicable
University Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Increasing heat exposure from climate change is causing and exacerbating heat-related illnesses in millions worldwide - particularly in low resource settings. June 2024 was the 13th consecutive hottest month on record globally - shattering previous records. Heat exposure can instigate and worsen numerous health conditions. Adaptation is essential for protecting people from increasing heat exposure. The built environment, especially homes, are ideal for deploying interventions to reduce heat exposure and accelerate adaptation efforts. However, evidence is currently lacking on a global scale - generated through empirical studies - guiding the uptake of interventions to reduce indoor heat stress in low resource settings.
Sunlight-reflecting cool roof coatings passively reduce indoor temperatures and lower energy use, offering protection to home occupants from extreme heat. Continuous monitoring of health and wellbeing using smartwatches can provide insight into important parameters such as heart rate, sleep and physical activity - which are all affected by heat. Using smartwatches, the investigators will also continuously measure health and wellbeing outcomes during the day and night. The investigators will conduct a global multi-centre study to investigate the effects of cool-roof use on heart rate, sleep and physical activity in four urban climate hotspots - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (sub-Saharan Africa), Ahmedabad, India (Asia), Niue (Oceania), and Sonora, Mexico (Latin America). These sites represent hotspots where people experience a triple burden from heat exposure, chronic health issues and vulnerable housing conditions (slums, informal settlements and low socioeconomic housing). They also exhibit diversity in climate profiles, housing typology, level of socioeconomic development, population density and rates of urbanisation.
This trial will quantify whether cool roofs are an effective passive home cooling intervention with beneficial health effects for vulnerable populations in four locations. Findings will inform global policy responses on scaling cool roof implementation to protect people from increasing heat exposure driven by climate change.
Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
Cool roofs are a sunlight reflecting roof coating that can reduce indoor temperature. Cool roofs have high solar reflectance (reflecting the ultraviolet and visible wavelengths of sunlight, reducing heat transfer to the surface of a roof) and high thermal emittance (radiating absorbed solar energy).
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
Heart rate in beats per minute measured at 15-second intervals using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The number of steps measured daily using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The total number of minutes of active exercise daily using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The total distance walked daily using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: MeasuSmartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at barements will be taken continuously for 12 months. Participants will be asked to wear their smartwatch for at least two weeks every month.
The total number of minutes of moderate-intensity activity daily using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The total number of minutes of vigorous-intensity activity daily using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The number of hours spent asleep each night using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The number of hours spent in sleep stages each night using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The number of hours spent awake during sleep time each night using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices.
Time frame: Smartwatches will be worn for two consecutive weeks per month. Eight measurement points will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.
The Garmin sleep score (0-100) each night using Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices. A higher score means a better outcome.
Aditi Bunker
Other
A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) Evaluating the Effects of Cool Roofs on Health Outcomes Using Smartwatches: a Global Multi-center Study
Acronym: REFLECT
OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.
View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.
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