Heat CrampsNCT07877935
Testing Interventions to Mitigate the Health Impact of Heatwaves on Primary School Children in Climate-vulnerable Districts of Bangladesh.
A study testing Solar reflective paint, Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam and Heat education toolkit in people with Heat Cramps and Heat Rash, run by BRAC University at 2 sites in Bangladesh.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the impact of implementing a combination of heat education and school-based physical infrastructure interventions in reducing heat related illnesses and improving educational outcomes among primary school children aged 7-14 years in two climate-vulnerable districts of… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 7 to 14 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Heat Cramps, Heat Rash, Heat Exhaustion
- What is being tested?
- Solar reflective paint, Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam and Heat education toolkit
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 2,875 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesBangladesh
- Study dates
- 13 May 2025to Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 7 to 14 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- The inclusion criteria of choosing schools would be: 1) Having tin as roof top, 2) Availability of proper ventilation 3) Thickness of tin to be above 120 millimetres and 4) Structure of the house not fragile. All primary school children (ages 7-14 years) in the selected schools will be considered as the target population.
Who cannot join
- We will exclude schools that already have heat mitigation measures and children who have pre-existing health conditions.
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Bangladesh2 sites, 2 recruiting
- Recruiting
BRAC Schools
Gaibandha, Rangpur Division
Md Tanvir Hasan Professor, PhD, +880-2-48812213-18 ext. 103, thasan@bracu.ac.bd
- Recruiting
BRAC Schools
Kurigram, Rangpur Division
Md Tanvir Hasan Professor, PhD, +880-2-48812213-18 ext. 103, thasan@bracu.ac.bd
About this study
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the impact of implementing a combination of heat education and school-based physical infrastructure interventions in reducing heat related illnesses and improving educational outcomes among primary school children aged 7-14 years in two climate-vulnerable districts of Bangladesh.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Read more
Whether different combinations of heat education and physical infrastructure interventions can reduce indoor classroom temperatures and heat-related illnesses and improve the health and mental well-being of primary school children.
Whether these interventions can improve educational outcomes among primary school children and provide cost-effective and scalable solutions for heat mitigation in low-resource settings.
Researchers will compare different combinations of interventions, including: (1) heat education with solar reflective paint, (2) heat education with bamboo ceiling and polyethylene foam, and (3) heat education with both solar reflective paint and bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, to assess their relative cost-effectiveness.
The interventions will be implemented in BRAC Education Programme-run primary schools in Gaibandha and Kurigram districts. Children will be the primary participants of the study. Researchers will assess changes in classroom indoor temperature, heat-related health outcomes and mental well-being among children, as well as their school attendance and academic performance. The study will also explore potential scalability of the interventions in similar settings.
- Conditions
- Heat Cramps, Heat Rash, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stress, Heat Anxiety
- Being tested
- Solar reflective paint, Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, Heat education toolkit
- Keywords
- Heatwave, Education, Health, Randomized Control Trial (RCT)
- Medical subject headings
- Heat Stress Disorders, Miliaria, Heat Exhaustion
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Solar reflective paintOther
Solar reflective paint is a special type of paint used to lower surface temperature in tin-roofs. It works by generating an obstacle between the sun and the tin-roofs. It has ingredients (colour particles) that are designed to reflect ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. When it is used in a tin-roof house, it reduces the impact of direct sunlight on the surface of the tin roof and decrease internal temperature of the house.
Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foamOther
Bamboo ceiling combined with polyethylene foam will be utilized for thermal insulation in tin-roof houses. Bamboo, known for its natural insulation properties, acts as a barrier between the tin roof and living space, providing passive cooling. Polyethylene foam further prevents heat transfer, enhancing the insulation. The combination of these materials creates a two-layer system, which is hypothesized to be more effective at reducing indoor temperatures than using either material alone.
Heat education toolkitBehavioural
The heat education toolkit will be co-created by the research team with input from students, government and non-government stakeholders, parents, teachers, and healthcare providers. The toolkit will be used in the classrooms to educate students on the negative impacts of heatwaves and how to cope with it. The lessons will be interactive and cover different topics such as what is a heatwave, why heatwaves occur, the effects of heatwaves on the environment and humans, and what can be done to minimize the impacts of heatwaves.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Solar reflective paint; Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| Heat education toolkit + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam; Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Solar reflective paint; Other: Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam; Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| Heat education toolkit | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| No Intervention | No intervention | Not described |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Incidence of Heat Rash
- Case Definition: Inflammatory skin condition caused by blocked sweat glands, commonly occurring in hot and humid conditions.
- Diagnostic Criteria:
- Red, itchy rash or tiny blisters on chest, back, neck, or other covered areas
- Occurs after sweating or prolonged heat exposure
- May be described by the child as prickly, itchy, or burning
- Outcome Threshold:
Presence of a red, itchy rash or blisters in covered areas following heat exposure, as reported by the child or caregiver or observed directly.
Measured: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Incidence of Heat Cramps
- Case Definition: Painful, involuntary muscle spasms caused by salt loss through sweating, typically after physical activity.
- Diagnostic Criteria:
- Complaints of muscle cramps or spasms in legs, arms, or abdomen
- Occurs after physical exertion in a hot environment
- Often accompanied by heavy sweating
- Outcome Threshold:
Reported or observed muscle pain or spasms following activity in hot conditions, in the absence of severe systemic symptoms.
Measured: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Incidence of Heat Exhaustion
- Case Definition: Heat-related illness resulting from water or salt depletion, leading to fatigue and inability to continue activity, without altered mental status.
- Diagnostic Criteria:
- At least two of the following symptoms:
- Weakness or fatigue
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Muscle cramps
- Heavy sweating
- No confusion, disorientation, or unconsciousness
- Body temperature less than 40°C
- Outcome Threshold:
Two or more qualifying symptoms after heat exposure, with normal mental status and no high fever (≥40°C), as reported or observed.
Measured: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Incidence of Heat stress
Measured: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Incidence of Heat Anxiety
Measured: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Secondary outcomes (4)
Academic performance
Measured: April to January each year during 2025-2028
School absenteeism
Measured: April to January each year during 2025-2028
Cases of pneumonia
Measured: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Cases of diarrhoea
Measured: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Oct 2026
- Study start13 May 2025
- Primary completion31 Jan 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Heat CrampsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 2,875 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- BRAC University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Brac, International Development Research Centre, Canada
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07877935
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-2025-IS-10
- Other IDs
- 110624-001
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Deidentified data will be shared with other study team members for joint analysis and publications.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Testing Interventions to Mitigate the Health Impact of Heatwaves on Primary School Children in Climate-vulnerable Districts of Bangladesh.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07877935
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-2025-IS-10
- Conditions
- Heat Cramps, Heat Rash, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stress, Heat Anxiety
- Keywords
- Heatwave, Education, Health, Randomized Control Trial (RCT)
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 2,875 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- BRAC UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Brac, International Development Research Centre, Canada
- Study start
- 13 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jan 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 16 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the impact of implementing a combination of heat education and school-based physical infrastructure interventions in reducing heat related illnesses and improving educational outcomes among primary school children aged 7-14 years in two climate-vulnerable districts of Bangladesh.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Whether different combinations of heat education and physical infrastructure interventions can reduce indoor classroom temperatures and heat-related illnesses and improve the health and mental well-being of primary school children.
Whether these interventions can improve educational outcomes among primary school children and provide cost-effective and scalable solutions for heat mitigation in low-resource settings.
Researchers will compare different combinations of interventions, including: (1) heat education with solar reflective paint, (2) heat education with bamboo ceiling and polyethylene foam, and (3) heat education with both solar reflective paint and bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, to assess their relative cost-effectiveness.
The interventions will be implemented in BRAC Education Programme-run primary schools in Gaibandha and Kurigram districts. Children will be the primary participants of the study. Researchers will assess changes in classroom indoor temperature, heat-related health outcomes and mental well-being among children, as well as their school attendance and academic performance. The study will also explore potential scalability of the interventions in similar settings.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 5
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint | Experimental | Other: Solar reflective paint, Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| Heat education toolkit + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam | Experimental | Other: Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam | Experimental | Other: Solar reflective paint, Other: Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| Heat education toolkit | Experimental | Behavioral: Heat education toolkit |
| No Intervention | No intervention | – |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 7 to 14 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- The inclusion criteria of choosing schools would be: 1) Having tin as roof top, 2) Availability of proper ventilation 3) Thickness of tin to be above 120 millimetres and 4) Structure of the house not fragile. All primary school children (ages 7-14 years) in the selected schools will be considered as the target population.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- We will exclude schools that already have heat mitigation measures and children who have pre-existing health conditions.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Solar reflective paintSolar reflective paint is a special type of paint used to lower surface temperature in tin-roofs. It works by generating an obstacle between the sun and the tin-roofs. It has ingredients (colour particles) that are designed to reflect ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. When it is used in a tin-roof house, it reduces the impact of direct sunlight on the surface of the tin roof and decrease internal temperature of the house. | Other | Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint, Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam |
| Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foamBamboo ceiling combined with polyethylene foam will be utilized for thermal insulation in tin-roof houses. Bamboo, known for its natural insulation properties, acts as a barrier between the tin roof and living space, providing passive cooling. Polyethylene foam further prevents heat transfer, enhancing the insulation. The combination of these materials creates a two-layer system, which is hypothesized to be more effective at reducing indoor temperatures than using either material alone. | Other | Heat education toolkit + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam |
| Heat education toolkitThe heat education toolkit will be co-created by the research team with input from students, government and non-government stakeholders, parents, teachers, and healthcare providers. The toolkit will be used in the classrooms to educate students on the negative impacts of heatwaves and how to cope with it. The lessons will be interactive and cover different topics such as what is a heatwave, why heatwaves occur, the effects of heatwaves on the environment and humans, and what can be done to minimize the impacts of heatwaves. | Behavioural | Heat education toolkit, Heat education toolkit + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint, Heat education toolkit + solar reflective paint + bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam |
Primary outcome
Incidence of Heat Rash
Time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027
* Case Definition: Inflammatory skin condition caused by blocked sweat glands, commonly occurring in hot and humid conditions. * Diagnostic Criteria: * Red, itchy rash or tiny blisters on chest, back, neck, or other covered areas * Occurs after sweating or prolonged heat exposure * May be described by the child as prickly, itchy, or burning * Outcome Threshold: Presence of a red, itchy rash or blisters in covered areas following heat exposure, as reported by the child or caregiver or observed directly.
Incidence of Heat Cramps
Time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027
* Case Definition: Painful, involuntary muscle spasms caused by salt loss through sweating, typically after physical activity. * Diagnostic Criteria: * Complaints of muscle cramps or spasms in legs, arms, or abdomen * Occurs after physical exertion in a hot environment * Often accompanied by heavy sweating * Outcome Threshold: Reported or observed muscle pain or spasms following activity in hot conditions, in the absence of severe systemic symptoms.
Incidence of Heat Exhaustion
Time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027
* Case Definition: Heat-related illness resulting from water or salt depletion, leading to fatigue and inability to continue activity, without altered mental status. * Diagnostic Criteria: * At least two of the following symptoms: * Weakness or fatigue * Headache * Nausea or vomiting * Dizziness * Muscle cramps * Heavy sweating * No confusion, disorientation, or unconsciousness * Body temperature less than 40°C * Outcome Threshold: Two or more qualifying symptoms after heat exposure, with normal mental status and no high fever (≥40°C), as reported or observed.
Incidence of Heat stress
Time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Incidence of Heat Anxiety
Time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027
4 secondary outcomes
Academic performance
Time frame: April to January each year during 2025-2028
School absenteeism
Time frame: April to January each year during 2025-2028
Cases of pneumonia
Time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Cases of diarrhoea
Time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 16 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Deidentified data will be shared with other study team members for joint analysis and publications.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Solar reflective paint, Bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam and Heat education toolkit in people with Heat Cramps and Heat Rash, run by BRAC University at 2 sites in Bangladesh.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Bangladesh. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Md Tanvir Hasan Professor, PhD (+880-2-48812213-18 ext. 103, thasan@bracu.ac.bd), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Incidence of Heat Rash (time frame: April to November each year during 2025-2027). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 16 Oct 2026.