Heat-Related Illness among Oregon Farmworkers
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Participant Recruitment
2.2. Survey Instrument
2.3. Data Collection and Analysis
3. Results
Characteristic | N = 100 |
---|---|
Age (years); mean (SD) | 31.8 (10.1) |
Male gender; % (n) | 60.0 (60) |
Foreign-born; % (n) | 97.0 (96) |
Years living in U.S. ≥ 10; % (n) | 55.7 (54) |
Lives in U.S. all year; % (n) | 86.0 (86) |
Education; % (n) | |
No schooling | 12.0 (12) |
<High school | 72.0 (72) |
≥High school. | 16.0 (16) |
Health insurance; % (n) | 7.3 (7) |
Self-reported general health; % (n) | |
Excellent | 11.0 (11) |
Very good | 13.0 (13) |
Good | 41.0 (41) |
Fair/Poor | 34.0 (34) |
Current smoker | 5.0 (5) |
Number seasons worked in agriculture; mean (SD) | 8.7 (6.3) |
Number days worked previous 7 days; mean (SD) | 6.30 (0.96) |
Payment type for current job; % (n) | |
Per piece | 76.0 (73) |
Per hour | 24.0 (23) |
Crops worked with previous 7 days; % (n) | |
Blueberries | 100.0 (100) |
Apples | 2.0 (2) |
Pears | 1.0 (1) |
Cherries | 2.0 (2) |
Other berries | 46.0 (46) |
Vegetables | 2.0 (2) |
Other crop | 7.0 (7) |
Main job task previous 7 days; % (n) | |
Picking | 89.4 (84) |
Pruning | 1.1 (1) |
Sorting | 1.1 (1) |
Other job | 8.5 (8) |
Characteristic | N = 100 |
---|---|
Ever experienced a HRI; % (n) | 27.3 (27) |
Ever sought treatment for HRI; % (n) | 37.0 (10) |
HRI symptoms experienced past week on hot day; % (n) | |
Skin rash/skin bumps | 10.0 (10) |
Painful muscle cramps/spasms | 9.0 (9) |
Dizziness/light-headedness | 7.0 (7) |
Fainting | 1.0 (1) |
Headache | 24.0 24) |
Heavy sweating | 50.0 (50) |
Extreme weakness/fatigue | 14.0 (14) |
Nausea/vomiting | 2.0 (2) |
Confusion | 3.0 (3) |
None | 36.0 (36) |
Number of HRI symptoms experienced past week on hot day; % (n) | |
0 | 36.0 (36) |
1 | 36.0 (36) |
2 | 17.0 (17) |
≥3 | 11.0 (11) |
Characteristic | N = 100 |
---|---|
Ever received training regarding HRI; % (n) | 54.2 (52) |
Head protection usually worn at work during past week; % (n) | |
Baseball cap | 94.0 (94) |
Wide brimmed hat | 21.0 (21) |
Other hat | 2.0 (2) |
Bandana | 75.0 (75) |
Hood from hooded sweatshirt | 63.0 (63) |
Clothing usually worn at work during past week; % (n) | |
Light-colored short-sleeved shirt | 9.0 (9) |
Dark-colored short-sleeved shirt | 2.0 (2) |
Light-colored long-sleeved shirt | 90.0 (90) |
Dark-colored long-sleeved shirt | 23.0 (23) |
Shorts | 4.0 (4) |
Pants | 97.0 (97) |
Jacket | 72.0 (72) |
Gradually increased work hours at start of season; % (n) | 48.3 (43) |
Drank water at least once per hour past week; % (n) | 73.0 (73) |
Time to water source < 3 min away; % (n) | 76.0 (76) |
Employer provides fluids; % (n) | 88.5 (85) |
Time to toilet < 3 min away; % (n) | 63.2(62) |
No cooling measures available at current workplace; % (n) | 40.0 (40) |
Did not use cooling measures past week; % (n) | 27.0 (27) |
Heat knowledge score; % (n) | |
High (4–5) | 21.0 (21) |
Low (<4) | 79.0 (79) |
Level of concern regarding risk of HRI at work; % (n) | |
Very concerned | 15.6 (15) |
A little concerned | 49.0 (47) |
Not at all concerned | 21.9 (21) |
No opinion | 13.5 (13) |
Comfort level taking break to drink water; % (n) | |
Very comfortable | 45.5 (45) |
Somewhat comfortable | 32.3 (32) |
Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable | 10.1 (10) |
A little uncomfortable | 8.1 (8) |
Very uncomfortable | 4.0 (4) |
Characteristic | High Heat Knowledge | Very Concerned about HRI | Very Comfortable Taking a Break | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prevalence | PR (95% CI) | Prevalence | PR (95% CI) | Prevalence | PR (95% CI) | |
Sex | ||||||
Female | 27.5 | 1.0 | 13.2 | 1.0 | 41.0 | 1.0 |
Male | 16.7 | 0.87 (0.70, 1.09) | 17.2 | 1.05 (0.88, 1.24) | 48.3 | 1.14 (0.80, 1.63) |
Country of birth | ||||||
Foreign-born | 19.8 | 1.0 | 13.0b | 1.0 | 44.8 | 1.0 |
U.S.-born | 66.7 | 2.41 (0.48, 12.0) | 100.0 | 7.67 (4.52, 13.0)a | 66.7 | 1.66 (0.33, 8.29) |
Years living in U.S. | ||||||
<10 | 9.3 | 1.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 42.9 | 1.0 |
≥10 | 31.5 | 1.32 (1.08, 1.62) | 18.9 | 1.11 (0.94, 1.31) | 46.3 | 1.06 (0.74, 1.53) |
Lives in U.S. all year | ||||||
No | 20.9 b | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 42.9 | 1.0 |
Yes | 21.4 | 0.99 (0.74, 1.33) | 18.3 | --- | 45.9 | 1.06 (0.64, 1.73) |
Education | ||||||
No schooling | 8.3 | 1.0 | 8.3 | 1.0 | 41.2 | 1.0 |
<High school | 22.2 | 1.18 (0.95, 1.45) | 17.7 | 1.11 (0.91, 1.36) | 43.7 | 1.04 (0.62, 1.74) |
≥High school | 25.0 | 1.22 (0.88, 1.71) | 12.5 | 1.50 (0.15, 14.7) a | 56.3 | 1.33 (0.64, 2.78) |
Health insurance | ||||||
No | 20.2 | 1.0 | 12.9 | 1.0 | 40.9b | 1.0 |
Yes | 42.9 | 1.40 (0.30, 1.09) | 28.6 | 1.22 (0.76, 1.96) | 85.7 | 4.14 (0.67, 25.6) |
Payment type for current job | ||||||
Per hour | 4.4 b | 1.0 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 52.2 | 1.0 |
Per piece | 26.0 | 1.29 (1.10, 1.52) | 20.3 | 1.2 (1.04, 1.39) | 44.4 | 0.86 (0.54, 1.38) |
Ever received training regarding HRI | ||||||
No | 17.3 | 1.0 | 14.0 | 1.0 | 40.9 | 1.0 |
Yes | 25.0 | 0.91 (0.73, 1.12) | 13.6 | 1.03 (0.37, 2.83) a | 52.9 | 1.26 (0.86, 1.84) |
Gradually increased work hours at start of season | ||||||
No | 23.9 | 1.0 | 17.4 | 1.0 | 45.7 | 1.0 |
Yes | 20.9 | 0.96 (0.77, 1.20) | 12.2 | 0.70 (0.25, 1.97) a | 50.0 | 1.09 (0.73, 1.62) |
Drank water at least once per hour past week | ||||||
No | 25.9 | 1.0 | 26.9 | 1.0 | 33.3 | 1.0 |
Yes | 19.2 | 0.92 (0.71, 1.18) | 11.4 | 0.42 (0.17, 1.05) a | 50.0 | 1.33 (0.94, 1.90) |
Time to water source < 3 min away | ||||||
No | 29.2 | 1.0 | 21.7 | 1.0 | 39.1 | 1.0 |
Yes | 18.4 | 0.87 (0.66, 1.15) | 13.7 | 0.63 (0.24, 1.66) a | 47.4 | 1.16 (0.78, 1.71) |
Employer provides fluids | ||||||
No | 0.0 | 1.0 | 9.1 | 1.0 | 18.2 | 1.0 |
Yes | 23.5 | --- | 14.6 | 1.61 (0.23, 11.2) a | 51.2 | 1.68 (1.18, 2.39) |
Time to toilet < 3 min away | ||||||
No | 27.8 | 1.0 | 22.9 | 1.0 | 42.9 | 1.0 |
Yes | 16.1 | 0.86 (0.68, 1.08) | 11.9 | 0.52 (0.21, 1.31) a | 46.8 | 1.07 (0.74, 1.55) |
No cooling measures available at current workplace | ||||||
No | 18.3 | 1.0 | 10.5 | 1.0 | 54.2 | 1.0 |
Yes | 25.0 | 1.09 (0.88, 1.35) | 23.1 | 1.16 (0.96, 1.41) | 32.5 | 0.68 (0.48, 0.96) |
No use cooling measures used past week | ||||||
No | 16.4 | 1.0 | 15.9 | 1.0 | 50.0 | 1.0 |
Yes | 33.3 | 1.25 (0.94, 1.67) | 14.8 | 0.99 (0.82, 1.19) | 33.3 | 0.75 (0.53, 1.07) |
Ever experienced a heat-related illness | ||||||
No | 15.3b | 1.0 | 7.3b | 1.0 | 50.7 | 1.0 |
Yes | 37.0 | 1.35 (0.99, 1.83) | 34.6 | 1.42 (1.06, 1.89) | 33.3 | 0.74 (0.52, 1.06) |
Experienced HRI past week | ||||||
No | 38.1 | 1.0 | 25.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Yes | 33.3 | 0.93 (0.48, 1.79) | 66.7 | 2.25 (0.71, 7.17) | 42.9 | --- |
High heat knowledge score | ||||||
No | --- | 10.7 b | 1.0 | 50.0 | 1.0 | |
Yes | --- | 33.3 | 1.34 (0.98 1.83) | 28.6 | 0.70 (0.49, 0.99) | |
Very concerned about HRI | ||||||
No | 17.3 b | 1.0 | --- | 48.8 | 1.0 | |
Yes | 46.7 | 1.55 (0.96, 2.52) | --- | 33.3 | 0.77 (0.51, 1.17) | |
Very comfortable taking a break | ||||||
No | 27.8 b | 1.0 | 19.6 | 1.0 | --- | |
Yes | 13.3 | 0.48 (0.20, 1.13) a | 11.4 | 0.58 (0.21, 1.57) a | --- |
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Share and Cite
Bethel, J.W.; Harger, R. Heat-Related Illness among Oregon Farmworkers. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11, 9273-9285. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110909273
Bethel JW, Harger R. Heat-Related Illness among Oregon Farmworkers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2014; 11(9):9273-9285. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110909273
Chicago/Turabian StyleBethel, Jeffrey W., and Renee Harger. 2014. "Heat-Related Illness among Oregon Farmworkers" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 11, no. 9: 9273-9285. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110909273