BACKGROUND: Exposure to heat stress is a documented risk for Central American sugarcane harvesters. However, little is known about heat-related illness in this population. METHODS: This study examined the frequency of heat-related health effects among harvesters (n = 106) exposed to occupational heat stress compared to non-harvesters (n = 63). Chi-square test and gamma statistic were used to evaluate differences in self-reported symptoms and trends over heat exposure categories. RESULTS: Heat and dehydration symptoms (headache, tachycardia, muscle cramps, fever, nausea, difficulty breathing, dizziness, swelling of hands/feet, and dysuria) were experienced at least once per week significantly more frequently among harvesters. Percentages of workers reporting heat and dehydration symptoms increased in accordance with increasing heat exposure categories. CONCLUSIONS: A large percentage of harvesters are experiencing heat illness throughout the harvest demonstrating an urgent need for improved workplace practices, particularly in light of climate change and the epidemic of chronic kidney disease prevalent in this population.
BACKGROUND: Exposure to heat stress is a documented risk for Central American sugarcane harvesters. However, little is known about heat-related illness in this population. METHODS: This study examined the frequency of heat-related health effects among harvesters (n = 106) exposed to occupational heat stress compared to non-harvesters (n = 63). Chi-square test and gamma statistic were used to evaluate differences in self-reported symptoms and trends over heat exposure categories. RESULTS: Heat and dehydration symptoms (headache, tachycardia, muscle cramps, fever, nausea, difficulty breathing, dizziness, swelling of hands/feet, and dysuria) were experienced at least once per week significantly more frequently among harvesters. Percentages of workers reporting heat and dehydration symptoms increased in accordance with increasing heat exposure categories. CONCLUSIONS: A large percentage of harvesters are experiencing heat illness throughout the harvest demonstrating an urgent need for improved workplace practices, particularly in light of climate change and the epidemic of chronic kidney disease prevalent in this population.
Authors: Edgar Quinteros; Alexandre Ribó; Roberto Mejía; Alejandro López; Wilfredo Belteton; Aimee Comandari; Carlos M Orantes; Ernesto B Pleites; Carlos E Hernández; Dina L López Journal: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Date: 2016-10-28 Impact factor: 4.223
Authors: Vidhya Venugopal; P K Latha; Rekha Shanmugam; Manikandan Krishnamoorthy; R Omprashanth; Robin Lennqvist; Priscilla Johnson Journal: J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol Date: 2020-09-05 Impact factor: 5.563
Authors: Jason Glaser; Jay Lemery; Balaji Rajagopalan; Henry F Diaz; Ramón García-Trabanino; Gangadhar Taduri; Magdalena Madero; Mala Amarasinghe; Georgi Abraham; Sirirat Anutrakulchai; Vivekanand Jha; Peter Stenvinkel; Carlos Roncal-Jimenez; Miguel A Lanaspa; Ricardo Correa-Rotter; David Sheikh-Hamad; Emmanuel A Burdmann; Ana Andres-Hernando; Tamara Milagres; Ilana Weiss; Mehmet Kanbay; Catharina Wesseling; Laura Gabriela Sánchez-Lozada; Richard J Johnson Journal: Clin J Am Soc Nephrol Date: 2016-05-05 Impact factor: 8.237
Authors: Zoe E Petropoulos; Rebecca L Laws; Juan José Amador; Damaris López-Pilarte; James S Kaufman; Daniel E Weiner; Oriana Ramirez-Rubio; Daniel R Brooks; Michael D McClean; Madeleine K Scammell Journal: Kidney360 Date: 2020-08-19
Authors: Roxana Chicas; Nezahualcoyotl Xiuhtecutli; Nathan E Dickman; Madeleine L Scammell; Kyle Steenland; Vicki S Hertzberg; Linda McCauley Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 2020-09-04 Impact factor: 3.079
Authors: Tiffany L Stallings; Alejandro Riefkohl Lisci; Nathan L McCray; Daniel E Weiner; James S Kaufman; Ann Aschengrau; Yan Ma; Michael P LaValley; Oriana Ramírez-Rubio; Juan Jose Amador; Damaris López-Pilarte; Rebecca L Laws; Michael Winter; V Eloesa McSorley; Daniel R Brooks; Katie M Applebaum Journal: Scand J Work Environ Health Date: 2021-05-18 Impact factor: 5.024