Heat Adaptation Messaging for Heat Stress Disorders

(HeatSmart Trial)

Overseen By William Hogg, Dr

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Hopital Montfort

Disqualifiers: Minors, Dementia, Language barriers, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

20000 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if personalized digital messages about heat safety can help people better protect themselves from extreme heat-related illnesses. Participants will receive tailored messages from their family doctor or nurse, offering heat safety tips and alerts about upcoming heat events. The goal is to increase awareness and preparedness, potentially reducing heat-related health issues. The trial seeks adults in Eastern Ontario who have visited their family doctor in the past two years and can receive messages via email or text. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants an opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance community health and safety.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on sending digital messages about heat safety, so it's unlikely that your medications will be affected.

What prior data suggests that this digital messaging intervention is safe?

Previous studies have used digital messaging systems to help people stay safe during extreme heat. Research shows these messages are generally well-received and have no reported side effects, as they provide information and advice rather than physical treatment or medication.

The messages prepare people for heat waves by offering tips on staying cool and safe. They also connect individuals with local resources, such as cooling centers. No risks are linked to receiving these messages, making them a safe choice for those wanting to avoid heat-related health problems. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the heat adaptation messaging trial because it offers a novel approach to managing heat stress disorders. Unlike traditional methods that often focus on physical interventions, like staying hydrated or using cooling devices, this trial emphasizes proactive digital communication. The unique feature here is the use of personalized digital messages that encourage creating a heat safety plan and forming support networks, like Check-in Companion groups. This approach not only prepares individuals for heat events but also connects them with essential resources, such as cooling stations, in real-time. By leveraging digital tools, this method aims to enhance community resilience and individual preparedness, potentially reducing the impact of extreme heat events more effectively than current standard practices.

What evidence suggests that heat adaptation digital messaging is effective for reducing heat stress disorders?

This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of heat adaptation digital messaging. Research has shown that personalized digital messages about heat can increase awareness and preparedness for extreme heat. Participants in the Treated arm of this trial will receive such messages, designed to equip and prepare them for extreme heat events. One study found that community programs offering advice and resources improved people's ability to handle heat stress. Digital alerts, such as early warning systems, notify people in advance about upcoming heat waves. These efforts aim to reduce heat-related illnesses by encouraging actions like staying hydrated and finding cool places. Overall, evidence supports that digital messaging can effectively help people manage heat risks and stay safe. ^{2 3 4 6 7}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for healthy individuals in Eastern Ontario who are patients of primary care providers. It aims to see if receiving digital messages about heat safety from their doctors or nurses can help them prepare better for heatwaves.

Inclusion Criteria

Primary Care Patients: Adults (18 years and older) registered with a participating PCP, had at least one visit with their PCP in the past two years, have an active email, cell phone or messaging service (SMS) to receive Heat Smart digital messages, able to understand and consent to participate in the study, able to communicate in at least one of the official languages (English, French), recruited from PCP located in Eastern Ontario public health districts: the Eastern Ontario Health Unit and Ottawa Public Health

Primary Care Providers: Licensed Family Physician (FP) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) in a practice of at least 2 PCPs, offering comprehensive primary care to a panel of patients, working in a computerized primary care clinic with an electronic medical record system, expecting to remain in practice for at least 24 months, located in Eastern Ontario, willing to use the Canadian Primary Care Information Network (CPIN) to deliver Heat Smart messages and surveys, using Cliniconex or Qualtrics as a practice tool for communication enabling outreach before the patients are invited to consent to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

Patients who do not read French or English, do not have an email address or text messaging service, minors, patients with dementia, people who cannot read and write in English or French

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive tailored digital health messages from their primary care providers to promote heat adaptation behaviors.

2 years

Digital messages sent periodically

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for behavioral changes and health outcomes related to heat adaptation.

2 years

Evaluation

The impact of the intervention is evaluated through surveys and health data analysis.

Ongoing throughout the study

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Heat adaptation digital messaging

Trial Overview The study tests two types of digital messages: one set provides specific advice on adapting to extreme heat, while the other set contains non-heat-related health information. The goal is to compare changes in behavior regarding preparedness for heatwaves.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Treated - receive heat adaptation digital messages Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Patients in the Treated arm will receive messages to equip and prepare them for extreme heat events. The intervention is multifaceted: the first message will to encourage patients to prepare by creating a heat safety plan, and to form Check-in Companion groups among friends, neighbours, and relatives as well as to connect patients with existing key infrastructure that can be vital during heat events (ex: cooling stations and public facilities with air conditioning). When a heat-advisory is announced, additional messages will be sent to alert patients in the Treated group to activate their heat safety plans.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Patients in the Control arm will receive messages not related to heat waves. These messages will be related to other environmental risks

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Hopital Montfort

Lead Sponsor

Trials

15

Recruited

5,000+

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute

Collaborator

Trials

4

Recruited

550+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07024628

Assessing the Effectiveness of Heat Adaptation Digital ... This study employs a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of a heat adaptation digital messages intervention. Only primary care ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6615306/

Using web data to improve surveillance for heat sensitive ... The results show that the number of heat-related illness and dehydration cases exhibited a significant positive relationship with web data.

3. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-heat-stress-disorders-3-2025-cef16

Heat Adaptation Messaging for Heat Stress Disorders Short-term outcomes include increased awareness and preparedness among patients about heat-related health risks. Long-term goals involve scaling the ...

4. thelancet.com thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(25)00007-5/fulltext

Community-based heat adaptation interventions for ... This systematic review aims to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of community-based heat adaptation behavioural interventions aimed at ...

5. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41746-025-01505-5

A digital heat early warning system for older adults Heat early warning systems aim to enhance heat preparedness by utilising meteorological forecasting and related methods to communicate alerts to ...

6. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07024628

Assessing the Effectiveness of Heat Adaptation Digital ... This study employs a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of a heat adaptation digital messages intervention. Only primary care ...

7. himss.org himss.org/resources/using-virtual-resources-predict-heat-wave-outcomes-and-support-resilience/

Using Virtual Resources to Predict Heat Wave Outcomes ... “Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat stroke, and death, as well as exacerbate pre-existing chronic ...