Table 2 Attitudes, knowledge, and protective behaviours by type of vulnerable group

 I love hot weather

57.7 (54.5–60.8)

60.4 (56.8–63.8)

49.9 (42.0–57.7)

48.7 (38.0–59.6)

 Hot weather is a risk to my health

31.1 (28.3–34.1)

26.9 (23.9–30.0)

45.3 (37.6–53.4)

41.8 (31.0–53.5)

 Staying out of sun 11 am-3 pm

66.2 (63.0–69.1)

67.3 (63.7–70.6)

58.8 (50.7–66.5)

71.2 (60.3–80.1)

 Drinking cool fluids

72.5 (69.6–75.3)

73.6 (70.3–76.8)

73.3 (65.6–79.8)

60.8 (49.0–71.5)

 Covering skin with clothing

66.4 (63.2–69.4)

65.9 (62.2–69.4)

68.0 (59.8–75.2)

67.6 (55.7–77.6)

 Limiting physical activity

64.2 (60.9–67.2)

64.5 (60.8–68.0)

62.3 (54.1–69.8)

64.8 (52.6–75.4)

 Use electric fan

38.0 (34.9–41.2)

35.4 (31.9–39.0)

51.6 (43.8–59.4)

34.0 (24.1–45.6)

 Close curtains on exposed windows

47.6 (44.5–50.8)

47.0 (43.4–50.6)

44.3 (36.7–52.2)

60.5 (49.2–70.7)

 Close exposed windows during day

20.1 (17.6–22.8)

19.7 (16.9–22.8)

18.7 (12.7–26.6)

27.0 (19.0–36.9)

 Open windows at night

63.1 (60.0–66.1)

63.9 (60.4–67.3)

58.7 (50.6–66.3)

65.1 (54.6–74.3)

 Avoid alcohol

45.2 (42.0–48.4)

45.6 (42.0–49.3)

45.2 (37.5–53.2)

41.2 (31.1–52.2)

 None

47.2 (44.1–50.3)

47.1 (43.5–50.7)

37.8 (30.7–45.4)

68.3 (56.7–78.0)

 Dehydration/intense thirst

20.2 (17.6–23.0)

19.8 (17.0–23.0)

27.0 (19.6–35.8)

8.7 (4.8–15.1)

 Sunburn

18.2 (15.6–21.0)

18.7 (16.0–21.7)

21.5 (14.4–30.8)

6.3 (1.3–24.8)

 Heat rash/red and dry skin

14.0 (11.7–16.8)

12.5 (10.1–15.3)

22.3 (15.4–31.1)

11.1 (4.5–24.9)

 Headaches

25.8 (23.0–28.8)

27.1 (23.8–30.7)

29.3 (22.8–36.8)

5.9 (3.0–11.4)

 Dizziness

9.1 (7.3–11.2)

6.8 (5.1–9.0)

17.5 (12.5–23.9)

12.9 (5.6–26.7)

 Nausea or vomiting

2.9 (1.8–4.5)

2.0 (1.2–3.3)

5.3 (2.2–11.9)

6.1 (1.2–25.5)

 Muscle weakness or cramps

6.4 (4.9–8.4)

4.2 (3.0–5.8)

16.8 (10.9–25.1)

6.2 (2.9–12.6)

 A high temperature

6.5 (4.8–8.6)

5.9 (4.1–8.4)

8.2 (5.2–12.8)

8.3 (2.5–24.3)

 Irritability

21.3 (18.7–24.1)

19.2 (16.5–22.1)

33.5 (25.9–42.0)

15.2 (7.6–28.1)

 A need to contact health services (e.g., a GP, an ambulance)

1.4 (0.6–2.9)

0.9 (0.3–2.3)

1.0 (0.3–4.0)

6.7 (1.6–24.4)

 Mean number of adverse health effects

1.3 (0.1)

1.2 (0.1)

1.8 (1.5)

1.0 (0.3)

 Base (unweighted): All respondents

1872

1422

307

143

 Not heard advice

49.0 (45.8–52.2)

49.7 (46.0–53.5)

51.6 (43.6–59.5)

36.1 (26.4–47.1)

 Heard advice but did not change behaviour

29.1 (26.3–32.0)

29.7 (26.5–33.1)

22.8 (17.4–29.4)

37.1 (26.3–49.4)

 Heard advice and changed behaviour

21.9 (19.3–24.8)

20.6 (17.6–23.9)

25.6 (19.2–33.4)

26.8 (18.5–37.1)

 Staying out of sun 11 am-3 pm

46.6 (43.4–49.8)

44.8 (41.2–48.5)

48.6 (40.7–56.6)

59.2 (47.9–68.7)

 Drinking cool fluids

87.3 (84.9–89.4)

88.6 (85.9–90.8)

84.8 (77.6–90.0)

80.6 (71.3–87.4)

 Covering skin with clothing

50.9 (47.7–54.2)

49.3 (45.6–53.0)

51.7 (43.6–59.6)

65.0 (54.2–74.5)

 Limiting physical activity

56.3 (53.1–59.6)

54.5 (50.7–58.2)

57.5 (49.2–65.4)

71.8 (60.4–80.9)

 Use electric fan

39.3 (36.1–42.6)

38.6 (35.0–42.3)

46.3 (38.4–54.4)

31.0 (20.8–43.5)

 Close curtains on exposed windows

47.7 (44.5–51.0)

46.5 (42.9–50.3)

49.6 (41.6–57.6)

55.3 (43.9–66.2)

 Close exposed windows during day

34.9 (31.9–38.0)

33.2 (29.9–36.7)

34.3 (26.8–42.8)

52.4 (41.3–63.3)

 Open windows at night

87.1 (84.5–89.3)

88.2 (85.1–90.8)

86.2 (80.3–90.5)

78.4 (69.1–85.5)

 Avoid alcohol

51.2 (47.9–54.4)

47.7 (44.0–51.5)

61.1 (52.6–68.9)

62.8 (52.2–72.3)

 Mean number of protective behaviours always/often taken (sd)

5.0 (2.1)

4.9 (2.1)

5.2 (2.0)

5.6 (2.2)

 Base (unweighted): In England during level 3 heat alert

1787

1356

295

136