A strikingly high prevalence of dehydration and AKI exists in Florida agricultural workers.

Health outcomes among women receiving TANF can be improved with public health interventions. Additional strategies are needed to further reduce health disparities in this population.

The social, environmental, and economic benefits of urban trees can mitigate many negative aspects of the built environment. As such, disparities in the benefits of tree cover as a result of class or racial segregation represent an environmental injustice. Quantifying the ecosystem services of urban tree cover is increasingly being used to advocate urban greening and sustainability programs. Although some cities have instituted programs promoting tree planting on public property, these programs most often take place in the context of promoting sustainability rather than addressing structural inequities in the built environment. Using field and U.S. Census data, computer modeling, and online resources, this study analyzed variables such as urban forest cover, diversity of trees, and tree condition among White, African American, and Hispanic areas in Miami-Dade County. We then use these results to quantify two key ecosystem services from urban trees and discuss how their provision can be inequitable. This might be due to a failure to first address structural inequities that have been recognized by the environmental justice movement.

Although agricultural workers have elevated risks of heat-related illnesses (HRI), pregnant farmworkers exposed to extreme heat face additional health risk, including poor pregnancy health and birth outcomes. Qualitative data from five focus groups with 35 female Hispanic and Haitian nursery and fernery workers provide details about the women's perceptions of HRI and pregnancy. Participants believe that heat exposure can adversely affect general, pregnancy, and fetal health, yet feel they lack control over workplace conditions and that they lack training about these specific risks. These data are being used to develop culturally appropriate educational materials emphasizing health promoting and protective behaviors during pregnancy.

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Background: Farmworkers working in hot and humid environments have an increased risk for heat-related illness (HRI) if their thermoregulatory capabilities are overwhelmed. The manifestation of heat-related symptoms can escalate into life-threatening events. Increasing ambient air temperatures resulting from climate change will only exacerbate HRI in vulnerable populations. We characterize HRI symptoms experienced by farmworkers in three Florida communities. Methods: A total of 198 farmworkers enrolled in 2015-2016 were asked to recall if they experienced seven HRI symptoms during the previous work week. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between selected sociodemographic characteristics and reporting three or more symptoms. Latent class analysis was used to identify classes of symptoms representing the HRI severity range. We examined sociodemographic characteristics of the farmworkers across the latent classes. Results: The mean age (±SD) of farmworkers was 38.0 (±8) years; the majority were female (60%) and Hispanic (86%). Most frequently reported symptoms were heavy sweating (66%), headache (58%), dizziness (32%), and muscle cramps (30%). Females had three times the odds of experiencing three or more symptoms (OR = 2.86, 95% CI 1.18-6.89). Symptoms fell into three latent classes, which included mild (heavy sweating; class probability = 54%), moderate (heavy sweating, headache, nausea, and dizziness; class probability = 24%), and severe (heavy sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness, muscle cramps; class probability = 22%). Conclusions: Farmworkers reported a high burden of HRI symptoms that appear to cluster in physiologic patterns. Unrecognized accumulation of symptoms can escalate into life-threatening situations if untreated. Our research can inform interventions to promote early recognition of HRI, on-site care, and appropriate occupational health policy. Administrative or engineering workplace controls may also reduce the manifestation of HRI.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of field-based biomonitoring of heat-related illness (HRI) phenomena in Florida farmworkers. We determined feasibility through participant interviews regarding acceptability, data capture, recruitment and retention, and observed barriers and challenges to implementation. Methods Study participants were employed in fernery operations in northeast Central Florida where ornamental ferns are grown and harvested in a seasonally high heat environment. In this pilot, a total of 43 farmworkers participated during Summers 2012 and 2013 and measurements included: body core temperature, heart rate, energy expenditure, urine and blood osmolality, and self-reported HRI symptoms. Results Data capture was 90%. Participants reported that the study methods were non-obtrusive to their work, and that they were comfortable with study measures. Conclusions These results open possibilities for characterizing heat-related illness utilizing physiologic biomonitoring in vulnerable occupational groups.

Occupational pesticide exposure may be hazardous to pregnant farmworkers, yet few studies have focused on the health of female farmworkers distinct from their male counterparts or on the impact of agricultural work tasks on pregnancy outcomes. In the current community-based participatory research study, researchers conducted five focus groups with female nursery and fernery workers in Central Florida to enhance knowledge of attitudes about occupational risks and pregnancy health and to gather qualitative data to help form a survey instrument. This article presents the results from questions focused on pesticide exposure and its impact on general, reproductive, pregnancy, and fetal health. Workers reported a belief that pesticide exposure could be hazardous to pregnancy health; descriptions of symptoms and health concerns believed to be related to farmwork and to pesticide exposure; and descriptions of barriers preventing them from practicing safer occupational behaviors.