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Hess Examines Effects of Heat on Pregnant Women’s Use of Health Services in Burkina Faso

Posted: 1/22/2026 (CSDE Research)

CSDE Affiliate Jeremy Hess (Global Health, Emergency Medicine, EOHS) published a study in Public Health that examined the effects of heat on pregnant women’s use of health services, the health facility working environment and the impact of heat on the quality of care in Burkina Faso. Hess and co-authors conducted individual interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) with pregnant women, postpartum women, health providers and community leaders, women of reproductive age, as well as relatives and male spouses of women who recently had given birth.  Extreme heat reduced attendance and use of health services by pregnant and postpartum women. The women’s choice of delivery center depended on the quality of the health centers, notably whether they were equipped with cooling systems. All stakeholders agreed that extreme heat affected the relationship between caregivers and patients, especially facilities with inadequate cooling infrastructures or cramped spaces.

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