Assessing the Effects of Cool Roofs on Mental Health in Ahmedabad, India

NCT07251218 | Active Not Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 3728166226745/Z/22/Z
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 800
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Ambient air temperatures in India have broken record highs. Solutions are needed to build heat resilience in communities and adapt to increasing heat from climate change. Sunlight-reflecting cool roof coatings may passively reduce indoor temperatures and energy use to protect home occupants from extreme heat. Occupants living in poor housing conditions are susceptible to increased heat exposure. Heat exposure can instigate and worsen mental health. The worst adverse health effects are experienced in communities that are least able to adapt to heat exposure. By reducing indoor temperatures, cool roof use can promote mental wellbeing in household occupants. The long-term research goal of the investigators is to identify viable passive housing adaptation technologies with proven health benefits to reduce the burden of heat stress in communities affected by heat. To meet this goal, the investigators will conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial to establish the effects of cool roof use on mental health in Ahmedabad, India.

Conditions

Eco-anxiety; PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; Resilience; Anxiety

Keywords

Cool roof; Mental health; Heat stress; Housing; Hot temperature; Humidity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Depression

  Self-reported presence and frequency of symptoms of depression assessed using aggregate score of the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9). Minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 27 with a higher score meaning a worse outcome.

  Eight measurements will be taken: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Aggression

  Eight measurements: one at baseline and seven over 12 months, covering three consecutive hottest months and four alternate months.

• Mental Well-being

  One measurement at the end of follow-up at 12 months post-intervention

• Resilience

  One measurement at the end of follow-up at 12 months post-intervention.

• Eco-anxiety

  One measurement taken at the end of follow-up at 12 months post-intervention.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  One measurement taken at the end of follow-up at 12 months post-intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Cool roof

EXPERIMENTAL

Households will receive sunlight reflecting 'cool roof' coating on their roofs.

Other: Cool roof

No cool roof

NO INTERVENTION

No cool roof application. Households will keep their original roofing for the duration of the trial.

Interventions

Cool roof OTHER

Cool roofs are a heat-reflecting material that can be applied to existing household roofing in the form of a liquid-applied membrane. Cool roofs work by increasing solar reflectance (the ability to reflect the visible wavelengths of sunlight, reducing heat transfer to the surface) and thermal emittance (the ability to radiate absorbed solar energy) thereby reducing the amount of heat transferred into the home.

Cool roof

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Permanent household resident.

You may not qualify if:

• Roof damage, inaccessible or instability of roof adversely affecting cool roof coating application.
• Participant unable to provide written/verbal informed consent.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aditi Bunker: lead
• Heidelberg University: collaborator
• Rutgers University: collaborator
• Boston University: collaborator
• Indian Institute of Public Health, India: collaborator
• Sika: collaborator
• University of Auckland, New Zealand: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

IndianI Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar

Ahmedabad, India

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Combat Disorders; Anxiety Disorders; Psychological Well-Being; Heat Stress Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Mental Disorders; Personal Satisfaction; Behavior; Wounds and Injuries

Study Officials

• Collin Tukuitonga

  University of Auckland, New Zealand

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Trial participants will be aware of the intervention to which they have been allocated, and the research fieldworkers will be aware of the intervention allocation. The trial steering committee members and trial statistician will remain blinded until the end of trial period and data collection.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Co-principal investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 13, 2025
• First Posted: November 26, 2025
• Study Start: December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2026
• Study Completion: March 1, 2026
• Last Updated: February 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: ICF, CSR
• Time Frame: At the time of publication.

Locations

IN (1)