Abstract
BackgroundRecent research suggests that heat exposure may increase the risk of traumatic injuries. Published heat-related epidemiological studies have relied upon exposure data from individual weather stations.ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between heat exposure and traumatic injuries in outdoor agricultural workers exposed to ambient heat and internal heat generated by physical activity using modeled ambient exposure data.MethodsA case-crossover study using time-stratified referent selection among 12,213 outdoor agricultural workers with new Washington State Fund workers’ compensation traumatic injury claims between 2000 and 2012 was conducted. Maximum daily Humidex exposures, derived from modeled meteorological data, were assigned to latitudes and longitudes of injury locations on injury and referent dates. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios of injury for a priori daily maximum Humidex categories.ResultsThe mean of within-stratum (injury day and corresponding referent days) standard deviations of daily maximum Humidex was 4.8. The traumatic injury odds ratio was 1.14 (95% confidence interval 1.06, 1.22), 1.15 (95% confidence interval 1.06, 1.25), and 1.10 (95% confidence interval 1.01, 1.20) for daily maximum Humidex of 25–29, 30–33, and ≥34, respectively, compared to < 25, adjusted for self-reported duration of employment. Stronger associations were observed during cherry harvest duties in the June and July time period, compared to all duties over the entire study period.ConclusionsAgricultural workers laboring in warm conditions are at risk for heat-related traumatic injuries. Combined heat-related illness and injury prevention efforts should be considered in high-risk populations exposed to warm ambient conditions in the setting of physical exertion.
Highlights
Agricultural workers laboring in warm conditions are at risk for heat-related traumatic injuries
Combined heat-related illness and injury prevention efforts should be considered in high-risk populations exposed to warm ambient conditions in the setting of physical exertion
Adverse health effects from heat exposure are of public health concern, for populations vulnerable to heat, including the elderly, workers and athletes engaging in physically demanding activities, and others with social and physiologic vulnerabilities [1]
Summary
Adverse health effects from heat exposure are of public health concern, for populations vulnerable to heat, including the elderly, workers and athletes engaging in physically demanding activities, and others with social and physiologic vulnerabilities [1]. One direct and well-documented adverse health consequence of heat exposure is heat-related illness, which ranges from heat rash to more severe heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The burden of heat health effects has been investigated in a variety of populations, including the general population and occupational populations. Non-fatal occupational heat-related illness has been characterized using such sources as workers’ compensation data [8]. Editor: Xuefeng Ren, University at Buffalo - The State University of New York, UNITED STATES Received: July 14, 2016 Accepted: September 26, 2016 Published: October 7, 2016
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