Reports

This policy brief is bilingual. Vietnamese: pp1-6, English: pp 7-12 

> Click here to download the pdf.

Summary

Across Vietnam’s cities, informal outdoor workers are facing more frequent and more intense weather-related risks—and the consequences are already visible in incomes and health. Our research found a 15.7% drop in monthly income within one year, while the proportion reporting poor health rose from 14.8% to 21.8%. For most workers, the missing piece is not awareness, but policy support: 63% said inadequate support is the main barrier to coping effectively

This policy brief translates that evidence into an actionable solution: a Health Protection Toolkit co-developed by NatCen (UK) and SocialLife under our Wellcome-funded project, designed with workers and tested in real-world conditions. The toolkit combines a practical handbook, waterproof pocket cards, and an AI-powered chatbot (ICAN) that provides real-time risk guidance and helps connect workers to relevant health and social services. Developed through participatory work with 150 workers and piloted with 140 workers across four cities, the toolkit demonstrated measurable gains in risk awareness, protective behaviours, and overall health outcomes—making it ready to scale now.

The brief sets out a clear three-step pathway: official endorsement and pilots (6–12 months), national scale-up and integration (1–3 years), and legal/financial institutionalisation (3–5 years)—so Viet Nam can protect millions of highly exposed workers and strengthen climate resilience where it matters most.

Key messages

• The problem is measurable and worsening: Across four cities, outdoor workers reported a 15.7% fall in average monthly income over one year, alongside a rise in poor self-rated health to 21.8%.
• The solution is tested and practical: A three-part Health Protection Toolkit—handbook, waterproof pocket cards, and the ICAN AI chatbot—was co-designed with workers and piloted in real working conditions, showing improvements in risk awareness, protective practices, and reported health outcomes.
• Implications for action: The brief outlines a staged pathway—formal endorsement and piloting, followed by national integration and scale-up, and then institutionalisation through standards, regulation, and sustainable financing.

As part of our Wellcome-funded project on climate change, health, and urban outdoor work, this policy brief shares lessons from a pilot that provided 100 health insurance cards to outdoor workers in Vietnam. It highlights how community support and multi-stakeholder collaboration can protect vulnerable workers from climate-related health risks and offers recommendations for scaling up these efforts nationally.

> Download here (pdf) Vietnamese pp. 1-7, English pp. 8-13

This policy brief, drawing on qualitative research from the Wellcome Trust-funded project, examines the lived experiences of outdoor workers exposed to climate-related health risks across four major Vietnamese cities: Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho. The findings reveal how these workers often prioritise autonomy and daily income over personal health and safety, leading to the normalisation of risk and reliance on informal coping strategies, including home remedies and advice circulated via social networks. The brief advocates for a more inclusive, adaptive public health response—recommending measures such as flexible health insurance schemes, climate-responsive communication tools, and community-based health initiatives tailored to the realities of precarious urban labour.

> Download here (pdf) Vietnamese pp. 1-7, English pp. 8-13

Developed by SocialLife in partnership with NatCen and supported by the Wellcome Trust, the Intelligent Climate Alert Network for Outdoor Workers (ICAN) is a mobile app that helps outdoor workers in urban Vietnam respond to health risks caused by extreme weather. ICAN provides real-time, location-specific alerts, first aid guidance, labour news, and expert support, helping workers make informed decisions in hazardous conditions.

Outdoor workers are among the most vulnerable to climate change, facing prolonged heat, heavy rains, and pollution with little protection or support. ICAN addresses this urgent gap by offering a user-friendly, accessible tool that delivers personalised warnings and practical advice — crucial for safeguarding health and livelihoods. Free to download on iOS and Android.

> Download here (pdf) Vietnamese pp. 1-10, English pp. 11-19

Based on a systematic review of Vietnamese-language literature and a survey of 400 outdoor workers across Vietnam's four megacities, this paper identified four key findings. First, there is a significant gap in research focusing on informal workers. Second, the workforce primarily comprises male migrants who lack stable accommodation. Third, more than 50% of these workers face high health risks due to prolonged sun exposure. Fourth, climate change has a substantial impact on their income and ability to save. Drawing on this preliminary research, this paper proposes three main recommendations:

1. Enhance working conditions by establishing mobile rest stations, providing protective equipment, and developing supportive mobile applications
2. Strengthen health protection through the implementation of mobile medical services, micro-insurance options, and early warning systems
3. Support livelihoods by establishing  emergency funds, offering vocational training opportunities, and creating platforms for seasonal job-matching

Citation: Nguyen, L. D., & Vo, T. T. A. (2024). Climate change impacts outdoor workers’ health in urban Vietnam: Preliminary research findings (Policy Brief, October 29, 2024). SocialLife Research Institute. doi.org/10.71169/sociallife-pb-2024-1
(vi) pp 1-8 (en) pp 9-15

> Download here (pdf) 

This working paper presents the findings from a survey of informal outdoor workers in Vietnam, exploring the extent to which climate change impacts their health, livelihoods and adaptive capacity.

Click here to read the full report

This report presents Vietnam’s first systematic policy review examining how national and sub-national policies address the climate-related health risks faced by informal outdoor workers — a critical but long-overlooked population. Using a rigorous systematic review approach, adapted from NatCen’s established methodology, we analysed Vietnamese laws, decrees, strategies, and government plans spanning climate change, public health, and labour protection.

The review began with 129 national policy documents, which were systematically screened. Following this process, 45 laws, decrees, strategies, and implementation plans were selected for in-depth analysis. The findings reveal a striking gap: informal outdoor workers - those most exposed to extreme heat, urban flooding, storms, pollution, and other environmental hazards - remain largely unrecognised within current national policy frameworks, despite their scale and heightened vulnerability. The findings set out clear, actionable entry points for strengthening policy coherence, improving cross-sector coordination, and advancing more inclusive, climate-resilient and equitable protections for Vietnam’s informal outdoor workforce.

> Download here (pdf) English

> Download here (pdf) Vietnamese

Climate change presents severe challenges globally, with developing countries being the most vulnerable due to limited resources for adaptation. Outdoor workers directly exposed to extreme weather are particularly at risk of climate-related health impacts. This paper synthesises evidence from Vietnamese-language literature to examine the health effects of climate change on outdoor workers in urban Asia and identify policy gaps. It provides a pioneering synthesis of Vietnamese-language research on this topic, expanding the scope of existing systematic reviews that typically overlook non-English literature. The findings highlight heat stress and respiratory diseases as the primary health concerns, often exacerbated by inadequate protective measures and insufficient support systems. The review identifies a significant research gap: most research focuses on formal sector workers, while the needs and adaptation strategies of  informal workers remain under-explored . Although employer-provided protective gear is frequently highlighted, there is little discussion of  broader governmental or social support for informal workers. This paper highlights the need for interdisciplinary research on climate change impacts across diverse outdoor occupations. It calls for targeted policy development to strengthen health protections and create support systems for vulnerable working populations in urban Asia.

> Download here (pdf) 

The Green Book forms part of a Wellcome-funded research project led by NatCen (UK), in partnership with the SocialLife Research Institute (Viet Nam), the Vietnam Medical Association, LIGHT Institute for Community Health Development, and the University of Bristol (UK). The Green Book itself is developed by SocialLife Research Institute, the project’s local partner, drawing on research carried out in Ha Noi, Da Nang, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.

> Download here (vi)

> Find out more: https://slo.vn/en/launch-of-the-green-book/ 

> Read the full report here.

This systematic literature review of the health impacts of climate change on urban outdoor workers in Asia synthesises the findings of 18 studies. It examines climate-related health risks, vulnerabilities, coping strategies, and adaptation measures employed by outdoor workers. It identifies critical gaps in understanding the direct and indirect health effects of climate-related stressors including extreme heat, air pollution, and other weather-related hazards. It explores the vulnerabilities of outdoor workers and notes areas for future research and policy intervention.