Citation

Mitchell DC, Castro J, Armitage TL, Vega-Arroyo AJ, Moyce SC, Tancredi DJ, Bennett DH, Jones JH, Kjellstrom T, Schenker MB. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2017; 59(7): 649-658.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health Sciences (Dr Mitchell, Ms Armitage, Ms Vega-Arroyo, Dr Bennett, Dr Schenker); Center for Health and the Environment (Mr Castro); Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, and Samuel Merritt School of Nursing (Dr Moyce); Department of Pediatrics and Center for Healthcare Policy and Research (Dr Tancredi), School of Medicine, Sacramento; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine (Dr Jones), University of California, Davis, California; Health and Environmental International Trust, Mapua, Nelson, New Zealand, and University College London, London, United Kingdom (Dr Kjellstrom).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JOM.0000000000000988

PMID

28414703

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The California heat illness prevention study (CHIPS) devised methodology and collected physiological data to assess heat related illness (HRI) risk in Latino farmworkers.

METHODS: Bilingual researchers monitored HRI across a workshift, recording core temperature, work rate (metabolic equivalents [METs]), and heart rate at minute intervals. Hydration status was assessed by changes in weight and blood osmolality. Personal data loggers and a weather station measured exposure to heat. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect demographic and occupational information.

RESULTS: California farmworkers (n = 588) were assessed. Acceptable quality data was obtained from 80% of participants (core temperature) to 100% of participants (weight change). Workers (8.3%) experienced a core body temperature more than or equal to 38.5 °C and 11.8% experienced dehydration (lost more than 1.5% of body weight).

CONCLUSIONS: Methodology is presented for the first comprehensive physiological assessment of HRI risk in California farmworkers.

Language: en