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. 2017 Jul;59(7):649-658.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000988.

Recruitment, Methods, and Descriptive Results of a Physiologic Assessment of Latino Farmworkers: The California Heat Illness Prevention Study

Diane C Mitchell  1 , Javier Castro, Tracey L Armitage, Alondra J Vega-Arroyo, Sally C Moyce, Daniel J Tancredi, Deborah H Bennett, James H Jones, Tord Kjellstrom, Marc B Schenker
Affiliations

Recruitment, Methods, and Descriptive Results of a Physiologic Assessment of Latino Farmworkers: The California Heat Illness Prevention Study

Diane C Mitchell et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: The California heat illness prevention study (CHIPS) devised methodology and collected physiological data to assess heat related illness (HRI) risk in Latino farmworkers.

Methods: Bilingual researchers monitored HRI across a workshift, recording core temperature, work rate (metabolic equivalents [METs]), and heart rate at minute intervals. Hydration status was assessed by changes in weight and blood osmolality. Personal data loggers and a weather station measured exposure to heat. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect demographic and occupational information.

Results: California farmworkers (n = 588) were assessed. Acceptable quality data was obtained from 80% of participants (core temperature) to 100% of participants (weight change). Workers (8.3%) experienced a core body temperature more than or equal to 38.5 °C and 11.8% experienced dehydration (lost more than 1.5% of body weight).

Conclusions: Methodology is presented for the first comprehensive physiological assessment of HRI risk in California farmworkers.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1. Examples of Core Temperature and Heart Rate in Individual Workers
Legend for Figure 1: 1a: Core Temperature recording 1b: Core Temperature recording with drinking dips and recoveries 1c: Heart Rate recording with smoothed spline (dashed) 1d: Heart Rate recording with interference – attenuated smoothing spline (dashed)
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2. Maximal Value or AM Distributions of Physiological Measurements
Legend for Figure 2: All distributions are for the maximum of a 3-minute moving average except Osmolality which was the morning assessment. † Personal Heat Exposure measured by a ‘heat pen’
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3. Range (Max-Min) of Physiological Measurements
Legend for Figure 3: All distributions are the maximum - minimum of a 3-minute moving average except the weight change ((post-preshift)/preshift)x 100% and osmolality which was the afternoon - morning assessment. † Personal Heat Exposure measured by a ‘heat pen’
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