Improving home cooling, advice, and small house fixes to reduce heat harm in Karachi
Official title: Structural Heat Adaptation and Education in Urban Setting (SHAPES Trial)
Run by Aga Khan University · NCT06991543 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether low-cost home cooling, practical advice, and minor household changes can help people in densely populated, low-income neighborhoods of Karachi stay healthier and more comfortable during extreme heat.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 7128 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Aga Khan University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Karachi) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 1, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2027 |
| Study ends | December 2027 |
| Registry record updated | October 28, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06991543 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Households in the selected clusters of Bilal Colony that provide consent and are willing to have brief interviews and small indoor temperature sensors placed are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Households planning to move within six months or individuals with severe mental or physical conditions that prevent participation are unlikely to receive benefit from this project.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will work with households in selected clusters of Bilal Colony, Karachi, providing community education, personalized cooling and behavior advice, and small participatory structural modifications while comparing them with similar nearby communities that do not receive the interventions. Participating homes will complete questionnaires about health and daily functioning, and small temperature sensors will be placed indoors to monitor changes in living conditions. The study will measure heat-related symptoms (for example dizziness, headaches, and heat exhaustion), sleep quality, comfort, and overall quality of life before and after the interventions. Outcomes in intervention clusters will be compared with control clusters to determine whether the package of measures lowers indoor temperatures and improves wellbeing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these low-cost measures could reduce heat-related symptoms, lower indoor temperatures, and improve sleep, comfort, and daily functioning for participating households.
How similar studies have gone: Some community cooling and behavior-change programs have shown promise in improving comfort and reducing heat exposure, but rigorous cluster-based evidence in dense, low-income urban neighborhoods like this is limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * All households within the selected clusters who provide consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Households planning to move away from the study site within the next 6 months * Individuals with severe mental or physical health conditions that preclude participation
Where it's running
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Bilal Colony
Karachi, Pakistan Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: jai K Das — Institute for global health and development, Aga Khan University.
- Study coordinator: Jai K Das
- Email: jai.das@aku.edu
- Phone: +922134864717
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.