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Heat‐Related symptoms in sugarcane harvesters
Author(s) -
Crowe Jennifer,
Nilsson Maria,
Kjellstrom Tord,
Wesseling Catharina
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.22450
Subject(s) - medicine , heat exhaustion , heat illness , nausea , dysuria , heat stress , population , occupational medicine , environmental health , physical therapy , occupational exposure , poison control , zoology , urinary system , physics , meteorology , biology
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 . Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:541–548, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.