Association between Heat Stress and Occupational Injury among Thai Workers: Findings of the Thai Cohort Study

In many parts of the world ongoing climate change during the last three decades has produced higher temperatures and occupational heat stress levels in both outdoor and indoor workplaces 1,2) . Working people are particularly exposed to these heating trends in tropical and sub-tropical countries, where excessive workplace heat exposures linked to the outdoor ambient thermal environment are a traditional part of local life, but heat waves in cooler countries are also affecting workers health and productivity 3) .Outdoor work is avoided by local people during the hottest part of the days in the hot season, as the heat stress from air temperature, humidity and wind, and the additional heat load from solar heat radiation, overwhelms the human physiological capacity to maintain thermal balance 4) . High workplace heat exposure is connected to various clinical effects and also to increased incidence of occupational injuries 5) .The notion that indoor workers are generally sufficiently protected via air conditioning, fans or other cooling systems does not apply to most industrial workplaces in low and middle income countries in hot parts of the world 6,7) . These are the countries where most of the global population lives. Rapid urbanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America adds to the local heat exposures via great amounts of construction work 8) and the Urban Heat Island effect 9) .The lack of technical protection against heat is an important threat to the health and productivity in workplaces. Future climate change will make this situation worse for millions, and maybe even billions, of working people 10) .Daily life non-work activities are also affected by high heat exposures, and for most poor people there is no distinction between work and daily chores. This special issue of Industrial Health presents papers on different aspects of occupational heat problems in relation to climate change. The papers present examples from different parts of the world, and highlight methods for heat exposure assessment 11) , standards for occupational heat exposures 12,13) , and the health and productivity risks of workplace heat in relation to climate conditions and climate change 14) . A small scientific conference on "Occu- Tord KJELLSTROM

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“…High workplace heat exposure is connected to various clinical effects and also to increased incidence of occupational injuries 5) .…”

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confidence: 99%

Climate Change and Occupational Heat Problems

Kjellström

Sawada

Bernard³

et al. 2013

Ind Health

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“…10, No. 3;2018 Furthermore, cohort members accurately reported diabetes, heat exposure at work and hypertension (Papier et al, 2017;Tawatsupa et al, 2013;Thawornchaisit et al, 2013a). These validation studies show that self-report of health and disease by STOU participants is generally reliable for evaluating the health risk transition and the future trend of chronic diseases in Thailand.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Health-Risk Factors and 8-Year Incidence of Kidney Disease in Transitional Thailand: Prospective Findings From a Large National Cohort Study

Thawornchaisit¹,

Looze²,

Reid³

et al. 2018

GJHS

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Objective: Kidney disease (KD) is increasing its burden in Thailand but prospective observational KD studies are few. So we analysed 8-year nationwide Thai Cohort Study (TCS) data on KD incidence, distribution and risk association among Thais. Design and Method:TCS is a longitudinal study of the Thai health-risk transition among Open University student residing nationwide. At baseline (2005) the cohort members analysed here were aged 15-88 years and did not have KD. At the follow up in 2013 (n=41638) incident KD was reported based on doctor diagnosis. We analysed the 8-year cumulative incidence of KD and its association with risk factors by using multivariable logistic regression. Results:The incidence of KD (2005 to 2013) was 4.0%; the rate in men (5.9) was significantly higher than in women (2.5). KD increased significantly for both increasing age and body mass index (BMI) (p trend <0.001 for both). Its incidence was strongly associated with concurrent diseases including hypertension, diabetes and high blood lipids and moderately associated with increased frequency of cigarette smoking, instant food, roast or smoked food and soft drink consumption. KD decreased with increases in personal income, household assets, walking and physical activity. Conclusion:Physical activity, high income and household assets prevented KD. Lifestyle changes such as smoking and high consumption of instant, roast or smoked food and soft drink increased risk of KD. Government should encourage more physical activity and less smoking, salt and sugar.

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“…At baseline in 2005, around 20 per cent of working cohort members reported experiencing uncomfortably high temperatures at work, and in 2009, around 30 per cent reported being bothered by high temperatures when either sleeping, doing housework, working, exercising or daily travelling. Our study has revealed such heat stress in Thailand is associated with kidney disease (Tawatsupa et al, 2012a), poorer overall well-being (Tawatsupa et al, 2012b) and increased risk of occupational injury (Tawatsupa et al, 2013). These associations will be of particular concern if global temperatures increase under climate change.…”

Section: Key Research Findingsmentioning

confidence: 71%

“…It is also important to monitor the Universal Coverage Scheme of health insurance, especially for the poor (Yiengprugsawan et al, 2009), and to provide new sexual health services for Thai adolescents (Tangmunkongvorakul et al, 2010). Continued improvement in occupational health and safety is needed as the Thai workforce formalises (Yiengprugsawan et al, 2009;Kelly et al, 2010;Tangmunkongvorakul et al, 2010;Berecki-Gisolf et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Studying the Thai Health‑Risk Transition

Sleigh¹,

Seubsman²

2017

Health of People, Places and Planet: Reflections Based on Tony McMichael’s Four Decades of Contribution to Epidemiological Unde

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Since Thailand's first census 100 years ago, its patterns of illness, mortality and fertility have been transformed. Mortality and fertility fell very rapidly in the first 70 years as infectious diseases receded. Healthy childhood and safe motherhood were key benefits. Successive cohorts grew taller, and previously rare chronic diseases became common as families became smaller, incomes rose, people urbanised and the population aged.Dengue and tuberculosis remain major problems, and in recent decades, HIV/ AIDS has become an important cause of mortality among young adults. Traffic injury has become a major threat, and unfamiliar problems such as obesity, anxiety and depression are becoming widespread in Thailand.These changes have been the focus of a large multidisciplinary study of the Thai health-risk transition funded by the Wellcome Trust and the NH&MRC since 2004, with strong support from senior Thai government officials. The study focuses on the transition of both health risks and outcomes in the Thai population. Guided by conceptual advances in Professor Tony McMichael's approach to population health, it looks beyond the proximate, searching for multilevel drivers of changes under way and the sequences and mediators of transitions. Here, we outline the overall study design − with retrospective and prospective components − including an ongoing cohort study of nearly 90,000 adults already followed for eight years. Progress is summarised and future prospects reviewed. Health of People, Places and Planet 156

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Association between Heat Stress and Occupational Injury among Thai Workers: Findings of the Thai Cohort Study

Cited by 127 publications

References 26 publications

Climate Change and Occupational Heat Problems

Climate Change and Occupational Heat Problems

Health-Risk Factors and 8-Year Incidence of Kidney Disease in Transitional Thailand: Prospective Findings From a Large National Cohort Study

Studying the Thai Health‑Risk Transition

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