Abstract
This study compared physiological responses and cognitive performance during simulated work activities in heat to a thermoneutral condition. First responders perform physically demanding activities in a hot environment which may impose additional burdens on tactical personnel during daily tasks. Ten healthy (8 men and 2 women) participants performed two consecutive simulated work activities with two repetitions of each activity (10 min walking on treadmill and 15 sandbag lifts) under heat and thermoneutral conditions. A Stroop color word test (SCWT) and total mood disturbance (TMD) were obtained at first and second baseline (B1, B2), after a 30-min resting period (B3), and recovery (R1). At the end of the trial, core temperature (Tc), skin temperature (tsk), and mean body temperature (Tb) were higher in the heat condition compared to neutral condition (all p ≤ 0.05), whereas oxygen uptake, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure were not significantly different between conditions. There were no differences in scores of SCWT and TMD between conditions. However, TMD was significantly improved after two successive bouts of exercise compared to B3 (all p ≤ 0.05). This investigation shows that two successive simulated work activities did not induce the detrimental influence on thermoregulatory and cognitive responses. Extended work activities in a hot and humid environment may impose a psychophysiological burden and need to be investigated.
Highlights
First responders are involved in the first line of treatment and transportation in emergency situations.The first responders perform strenuous physical activities, such as lifting and carrying of patients and stretchers under different environmental conditions, rarely in comfortable environmental conditions [1].Working as a first responder often requires various levels of cognitive function to react and make decisions quickly while performing job-related tasks.Physical activity in the heat is known to significantly decrease exercise capacity [2,3,4] and potentially induce heat exhaustion, heat-related injuries, hyperthermia; body temperature in excess of 40 ◦ C; and possible death [5]
The results showed that selective attention, as measured with Stroop color word test (SCWT), was not impaired in the heat condition
This study suggests that there may be an important implication that extended work in the heat would induce severe hyperthermia and dehydration such that cognitive performance becomes impaired
Summary
First responders (paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, firefighters, and rescuers) are involved in the first line of treatment and transportation in emergency situations.The first responders perform strenuous physical activities, such as lifting and carrying of patients and stretchers under different environmental conditions, rarely in comfortable environmental conditions [1].Working as a first responder often requires various levels of cognitive function to react and make decisions quickly while performing job-related tasks.Physical activity in the heat is known to significantly decrease exercise capacity [2,3,4] and potentially induce heat exhaustion, heat-related injuries, hyperthermia; body temperature in excess of 40 ◦ C; and possible death [5]. The first responders perform strenuous physical activities, such as lifting and carrying of patients and stretchers under different environmental conditions, rarely in comfortable environmental conditions [1]. Working as a first responder often requires various levels of cognitive function to react and make decisions quickly while performing job-related tasks. Physical activity in the heat is known to significantly decrease exercise capacity [2,3,4] and potentially induce heat exhaustion, heat-related injuries, hyperthermia; body temperature in excess of 40 ◦ C; and possible death [5]. Decrements in aerobic performance have been shown to be independently and concurrently related to increased skin temperature and core temperature, suggesting that the decreased performance is due mainly to cardiovascular strain and altered cardiac and vascular function rather than central nervous system strain, a neurological fatigue which is typically brought on by repeated muscular contraction [2,6]. Public Health 2020, 17, 3443; doi:10.3390/ijerph17103443 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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