Why so many Australians are dying from the heat - and how using air-conditioning could prove fatal
A study into heat-related deaths in the Northern Territory suggests air-conditioning is ruining our ability to handle high temperatures and that traditional Indigenous practices may be a better way to cope. Research published in the top medical journal The Lancet examined temperature data from deaths in the Territory from 1980 to 2020, covering more than 15,800 Indigenous and almost 16,000 non-Indigenous deaths. Australian National University experts found more time spent inside air-conditioned spaces is making people more vulnerable to heat stress. The study found that Indigenous people were found to be no more susceptible to heat mortality than non-Indigenous despite typically having 'The social and cultural practices developed by First Nations people over generations, such as reducing physical exertion in hotter parts of the day, are powerful mechanisms for protecting human health,' lead author Simon Quilty said. Warumungu Elder and study co-author Norman Frank Jupurrurla said the results should inform housing policy in the NT. 'Today we still live like we used to live in humpies, our houses are poor and overcrowded ... these houses have been built for England or cold country. We need houses to be built for this hot climate here,' he said. Many warm countries around the world have traditionally had a down-time in the hot afternoon, such as the Spanish siesta, which avoids putting stress on the body at dangerous times. However in a globalised world, such traditional naps are being abandoned by many to stay contactable through the working day. Study co-author Aparna Lal said such a move was counter-productive and instead we should embrace those healthier lifestyles. 'As extreme hot temperatures become more common in Australia and around the world, the most important tool we have to adapt to climate change may be cultural change,' Prof Quilty said. 'It's time to learn from First Nations people and other societies from the past that used culture as a tool to thrive in hot climates. Perhaps we should all be having an arvo nap when it's hot rather than turning up the AC.' Prof. Lal said more thought also needs to be put into home design to allay heat rather than relying on increasingly expensive air conditioning. 'Housing in hot climates should be designed to ensure passive cooling where people live comfortably within the predominant climate and at the same time requiring minimal energy costs for cooling,' she said.