A collaborative research project is piloting a survey to help better understand how climate shocks, such as flooding, drought and extreme heat, affect health and well-being in low- and middle-income countries. 

University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Professor Pam Jagger is co-leading the project alongside Joe Eisenberg, a professor of epidemiology at the U-M School of Public Health. They are collaborating with the Rakai Health Sciences Program, a nonprofit research organization based in Kalisizo, Uganda.

The project team intends for the climate shock survey to be adaptable to different contexts, which is why they decided to carry the project out across four distinct sites chosen for their unique climate vulnerabilities—Uganda, Kenya, and two in Bangladesh. 

Working closely with local partners, including the Kenyan nongovernmental organization Eco2librium and the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, the team is designing and implementing surveys that reflect the realities on the ground. These partnerships will help ensure that the survey tools are locally relevant while allowing for standardized data collection that can be compared across countries. By working across diverse settings, the team plans to develop a flexible and evidence-based tool that helps track how households around the globe experience and adapt to extreme weather events.

“We’re not just collecting data—we’re building data systems that will allow for greater understanding of both single extreme weather events and the cumulative impact of multiple shocks,” said Jagger. “Our goal is to support local capacity for climate and health research, and to develop tools that can be used globally to inform policy and improve health outcomes.” 

The U-M Center for Global Health Equity funds the project. Read more about the project on their website.