Community knowledge gap of climate change health effects: Findings of a cross-sectional state-based survey

People are increasingly aware of climate change; however, little information exists regarding community understanding of the links between climate change and health. Objective To examine Western Australians’ perceptions of climate-related health risks. Methods A cross-sectional online survey of 1,164 adults was conducted in July 2022. Items explored included perceptions of climate change, its health implications, responsibility for managing health impacts, and preferred communication channels. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses identified demographic predictors of awareness. Results Most respondents (87.5 %) believe climate change is happening, consider health extremely important (57.7 %), and are interested in climate-health co-benefits (85.9 %). However, fewer than half (46.4 %) think climate change will harm their own health within ten years, and 49.4 % had given little thought to health impacts. Only 44.7 % recalled recent climate-health information, and most felt poorly informed. Conclusions Despite high climate awareness, understanding of its health impacts is limited. Many anticipate worsening environmental conditions but fail to connect these with health outcomes—e.g., concern about extreme heat without expecting more heat-related illness. This disconnect highlights the need for targeted communication to improve climate-health literacy and support adaptive public behaviours. Implications for public health Strategic public health messaging should address knowledge gaps and strengthen community resilience.