Heat-Related Illness in Midwestern Hispanic Farmworkers: A Descriptive Analysis of Hydration Status and Reported Symptoms

Abstract

Heat-related illness (HRI) is a largely undocumented phenomenon in Midwestern Hispanic migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the United States. Frequently, the physiological burden of crop production is overlooked while workers are in the fields. We completed a mixed-methods study using a cross-sectional survey among migrant and seasonal farmworkers about their experience with HRI symptoms (N = 148) and conducted an intensive surveillance on a smaller group of workers (N = 20) in field trials (N = 57 trials) using a chest-strapped multi-parameter monitoring wearable sensor (MPMWS) that measured skin/ body temperature, heart and breathing rate, kilocalories burned per hour, and provided a physiological intensity (PI) score. The field trials were conducted across three classes of climate conditions and three PI score categories. We found that those in the uncomfortable category (PI score > 4.0) had a statistically significant (F ratio = 16.41, p < .001) higher body temperatures (M = 100.05°F) than those with a mild PI (range = 0-5) score ⩽ 2.5 (M = 99.56°F) or moderate PI score > 2.5-4 (99.84°F). We also found that those in the uncomfortable climate condition category had a higher mean heart rate and breathing rate than those working under mild and moderate field trials.

Considerable risk of work-related injury and illnesses among seasonal and migrant farm workers in Ethiopia: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

“…This finding is also supported by a study conducted across countries. Which stated that uninterrupted strenuous job in a hot environment with a very few rest periods and lack of potable water contributes to a high incidence of heatstroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps among farm workers [5,9,20,21,37,38]. Another study also reported that farm workers are four times more likely to experience HRI than other industries workers as a result of high ambient temperatures [9].…”

“…Furthermore, a higher risk of mental health problems [9,13], acute and chronic pesticide poisoning [9,18] and heat-related illness [5,7,[19][20][21][22] were reported among migrant and seasonal farm workers. However, underreporting of medical conditions is significant due to limited access to health services, and fear of lost wages or jobs [23].…”

Feasibility, acceptability and validation of wearable devices for climate change and health research in the low-resource contexts of Burkina Faso and Kenya: Study protocol

“…For example, Culp and Tonelli et al (2019) conducted a study on heat stress exposure using wearable devices. Their research focused on agricultural workers’ physiological responses during agricultural work and linked them to working intensity and climate conditions (measured by the WBGT) [ 28 ]. The authors discovered considerably higher body temperatures, increased hr, and respiration rate in the uncomfortable intensity category.…”

Heat-related illness risk and associated personal and environmental factors of construction workers during work in summer

“…On the other hand, HRI involves complex interactions between environmental heat strain, clothing, and human thermal physiology 21 . Recently, a wearable sensor for monitoring workers’ conditions has been developed 22 . US NIOSH recommends physiologic monitoring such as heart rate and/or core temperature of heat-exposed workers 16 .…”