Health-check questionnaire for subjects exposed to cold

Abstract

Background. Human exposure to cold outdoor and indoor temperatures below 10oC may be associated with various cold-related sensations and symptoms. It is not possible to predict a person’s survival ability only by assessing thermal environments; but individual screening is always required for good health care practice with regards to treatment and/or prevention.Methods. As part of a development project, a health-check questionnaire was developed for the workers exposed to cold. The completion of the development was carried out in the framework of a Nordic collaboration.Results. This was three-level medical screening protocol for detecting individual cold-related health ailments. “The health-check questionnaire for subjects exposed to cold” comprises the first step of the screening protocol. The medical screening was harmonized with the assessment practices for cold-related health risks in the workplaces.Conclusion. A “health-check questionnaire for subjects exposed to cold” was developed as the first step of the three-level medical screening for the detection of cold-related health ailments of individuals. The analogical assessment practices for the coldrelated health risks in the workplaces were developed in the same project. They both aim towards the establishment of an ISO standard for working in cold environments.