In the HABITAT project, the Philipps University of Marburg and the Fulda University of Applied Sciences are jointly investigating the effects of climatic and environmental influences (e.g. heat, rapid temperature changes, air pollution, pollen load) on patients with heart disease (e.g. coronary heart disease or heart failure), respiratory diseases (e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma) and pregnant women with high blood pressure. The aim of the project is to develop strategies for adapting regional health care in East and Central Hesse to climatic conditions. Firstly, the effects of climate change on the development and progression of diseases will be analysed. Statistical procedures and AI-supported analyses will be used to identify correlations between weather and environmental conditions and individual factors (e.g. previous illnesses, age and weight) on disease progression. Based on this, AI models will be developed that enable individualised forecasts of weather- and environment-related health risks. As part of the project, digital applications, a mobile climate health app for patients and a digital tool for healthcare professionals, are being developed and tested to make prevention, early detection and care management climate-adaptive. Weather and environmental data, e.g. from the German Weather Service, our own regional weather stations and the project's own pollen monitors, patient health data and individual forecasts of weather and environmental health risks are integrated for this purpose.

The project team at Fulda University of Applied Sciences is focussing on accompanying academic research into these digital applications in the model regions of Fulda and Marburg. A mobile climate health app is being trialled to help users deal better with climate-related stress and develop individual coping strategies for stressful weather and environmental events in connection with their illnesses. Personalised risk assessments and appropriate recommendations for action based on the health and environmental data of the climate health app are aimed primarily at people with pre-existing conditions. The needs and requirements of such an app are of central importance from the point of view of potential users, which is why the everyday, user-friendly app design will be accompanied by academic research before and during the trial phase.

The second digital application is aimed at doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals in outpatient and inpatient care. This digital tool is to be used in the day-to-day care of patients with the above-mentioned clinical pictures. Design ideas for this digital tool are being developed in order to provide digital support in the day-to-day care of the use cases, e.g. by providing information on current weather and environmental conditions. The needs for a regional climate-resilient care concept are being researched by the Fulda University of Applied Sciences.

The digital applications developed in the project are intended, firstly, to strengthen patients' self-awareness and ability to act against the background of future climate change developments and, secondly, to optimise climate-resilient care management and collaboration in the intersectoral healthcare system. Finally, a multidimensional and interdisciplinary governance concept for the collaboration of relevant actors in medical and public health care in the model regions will be derived in order to gradually adapt to the consequences of climate change.

The project team at Fulda University of Applied Sciences is managing participatory workshops with patients to record their experiences, needs and expectations in dealing with climate-related health burdens and the climate health app. Interviews are being conducted with healthcare providers from the outpatient, inpatient and public sectors to identify the needs and requirements for the digital tool and climate adaptation in health care. In addition, (online) surveys are also used at regular intervals to record user-friendliness and user behaviour. This methodical approach with different methods (so-called mixed methods approach) makes it possible to gain both subjective perspectives and views as well as generalisable statements on the realities of use.

The HABITAT project is an innovative contribution to adapting health care to the challenges of climate change in the model regions of Eastern and Central Hesse. Current and regional environmental and weather data is collected and processed in a needs-based manner for the respective target groups with pre-existing conditions. On this basis, personalised or individualised risk assessments and specific recommendations for action can be communicated in a targeted manner. The medium for this are digital applications such as a mobile climate health app and a digital tool. In the long term, HABITAT will contribute to the development of climate-resilient, related to practice and participatory health care with the aim of testing the transferability of the concepts developed in the model regions of Fulda and Marburg to other health care regions.