Heat Stress Disorders
Conditions
Brief summary
The project's primary aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-level heat prevention approach in reducing adverse heat health effects in outdoor agricultural workers The secondary aims are to: * Test the effectiveness of an individual-level training component designed to reduce adverse heat health effects in outdoor agricultural workers * Evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace supervisor-level heat awareness application intended to support supervisor decisions to reduce the risk of workers experiencing adverse heat health effects
Interventions
OTHERHeat Education and Awareness Tools
HEAT training will be delivered to agricultural workers by research staff in this study in the spring. HEAT training uses interactive approaches to engage participants and posters with visuals. Training covers types of heat-related illness and treatments, risk factors, appropriate clothing and hydration, and keeping cool in the home and community. The HEAT awareness application was developed in collaboration with Washington State University's AgWeatherNet Program to notify supervisors signed up for the service about hot weather conditions that might increase the risk for adverse health effects for workers. The HEAT awareness application is designed to allow subscribers to select weather stations of interest and view current heat indices as well as maximum daily heat indices forecasted over the following week. This information is coupled with information about health effects and prevention of adverse heat health effects. Materials are provided in English and Spanish.
Sponsors
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH/CDC)
University of Washington
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
The study is a parallel, comparison, group intervention study to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-level Heat Education and Awareness Tools (HEAT) intervention, consisting of worker training and a supervisor heat awareness application, on reducing adverse heat health effects in agricultural workers across a growing season.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Speak English or Spanish, live in same dwelling and work at same farm for the season, farm where participant works must agree to collaborate
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Heat-related Illness Symptoms | Approximately three months | Heat symptoms will be assessed using a short survey conducted in Spanish or English that includes questions about heat-related illness symptoms experienced over the past week. Participants will select one or more symptoms (or select 'none') from a list. |
| Heat Strain | Approximately three months | The body's physiological response to heat stress. Core body temperature (degrees C) will be estimated using personal baseline temperature and continuous heart rate during work shifts on several days. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pre/post Knowledge Assessment | Approximately three months | Short set of multiple-choice questions based on key points addressed in the one-hour training on recognition, treatment, and prevention of heat-related illness. |
| Pre/post Supervisor Survey | Approximately three months | Short set of interview questions to learn about heat safety practices and utilization of the HEAT awareness application for intervention group |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed