The people of Schleswig-Holstein are finding the heat harder to bear.

Well-being as a theme - The people of Schleswig-Holstein are finding the heat harder to bear.

In Schleswig-Holstein, a recent study discovered that more individuals have trouble dealing with hot temperatures than in any other German state. A staggering 44% of people surveyed in a representative Civey survey conducted for the AOK health insurance company admitted to experiencing difficulties in coping with prolonged heat. This is the highest rate among all federal states, as announced by the AOK on Tuesday. Berlin, Hamburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia came in next with 42% each. The fewest number of respondents from Saarland and Saxony-Anhalt claimed to be negatively impacted by the heat, at 33% in both cases.

Although 42% of those surveyed in Schleswig-Holstein reported being able to handle longer heat waves comfortably, more than half (47%) struggled and had concerns. Additionally, 38% expressed a desire for more information on the health consequences of the heat. "Heat is the most significant health risk brought about by climate change in Germany and will continue to grow in the coming years," said AOK's managing director, Tom Ackermann. "The survey findings emphasize the importance of better informing the public about the dangers of climate change and its potential repercussions on their health."

The most frequent health concerns expressed by the surveyed Schleswig-Holsteiners resulting from heat included fatigue (48%), headaches (20%), and dizziness or nausea (16%). In response to heat periods, 76% of the respondents stated that they increase their fluid intake, 52% darken their living spaces or homes, 42% eat lighter meals, and 38% take additional breaks in their daily routines.

A recent assessment conducted by the IBE Chair for Epidemiology at the Helmholtz Center Munich revealed that a total of 9,100 heat-related deaths occurred in Germany during the summer of 2022, 220 of which took place in Schleswig-Holstein.

AOK press release PDF

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1. Despite the heatwave, some individuals in East Germany, specifically in Saarland and Saxony-Anhalt, are managing better, with only 33% reporting difficulties.
2. The survey revealed that over half of the respondents in Hamburg, Berlin, and North Rhine-Westphalia, like Schleswig-Holstein, faced struggles and concerns during the heatwave.
3. The AOK health insurance company, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, conducted a survey in various German states to understand the impact of heat on public health.
4. Concerning the weather, the survey suggested that 44% of people in Hamburg, alongside Schleswig-Holstein, had a hard time handling prolonged hot temperatures.
5. The AOK managing director, Tom Ackermann, emphasized that heat is now the primary health risk due to climate change in Germany and will escalate in the coming years.
6. In Schleswig-Holstein, health issues like fatigue, headaches, and dizziness or nausea were commonly reported during the heatwave, according to the survey findings.
7. During heat periods, more than 70% of the surveyed individuals in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein increased their fluid intake, highlighting the awareness about the potential health risks.
8. Heat-related deaths in Germany soared during the summer of 2022, with East Germany's Schleswig-Holstein accounting for 220 fatalities among the total 9,100 deaths nationwide.

Source: www.stern.de