Date of Award
Spring 2025
Language
English
Embargo Period
4-30-2025
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College/School/Department
College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity
Program
Emergency Management and Homeland Security
First Advisor
Jeanntte Sutton
Committee Members
Jeannette Sutton, Michele Olson, Amber Silver
Keywords
Heat, Aging, Communication, Social Science, Climate Change, Vulnerable Population
Subject Categories
Health Communication
Abstract
In the lead-up to extreme heat events, federal agencies, such as the National Weather Service (NWS), issue products and messages that advise people as to expected impacts, duration, and protective actions of the hazard. Within social media graphics, words such as “elderly” are used but are not defined by age. This can complicate personalization of risk to a hazard, such as extreme heat. I conducted focus groups across the United States and found that the term "elderly” was not understood among the general population. Additionally, I found that definitions of aging were tied to concepts such as mobility, resource access, and health. By not defining this term, people may be unable to personalize it effectively, which reduces the likelihood of action. By using more direct terms such as “Those over 65” or “ages 65+” instead of “elderly” communicators can better target their messages to more directly inform the at-risk population about the hazard. Furthermore, by using plain language, we can target our messages to segmented sections of the population. This could lead to a greater degree of personalization of extreme heat.
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Pollock, Bruce C. Jr, "Personalizing Heat Information for Adults Over 65" (2025). Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present). 207.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/etd/207
Premission for Figure 2 to be used in the Thesis
