The effect of the participatory heat education and awareness tools (HEAT) intervention on agricultural worker physiological heat strain: results from a parallel, comparison, group randomized study.

Background: Farmworkers are at risk of heat-related illness (HRI). We sought to: 1) evaluate the effectiveness of farmworker Spanish/English participatory heat education and a supervisor decision-support mobile application (HEAT intervention) on physiological heat strain; and 2) describe factors associated with HRI symptoms reporting.

Methods: We conducted a parallel, comparison group intervention study from May-September of 2019 in Central/Eastern Washington State, USA.

Associations between repeated measures of urinary phthalate metabolites and biomarkers of oxidative stress in a rural agricultural cohort of children with asthma.

Phthalate exposure is widespread, and studies suggest an adverse relationship with asthma morbidity, including some support for oxidative stress as an underlying pathophysiological mechanism. Urinary phthalate metabolites have been associated with biomarkers of oxidative stress, but data are few in children diagnosed with asthma. We used participant data from the Home Air in Agriculture Pediatric Intervention Trial (HAPI) to examine longitudinal relationships between phthalates and oxidative stress in a cohort of Latino children with asthma residing in an agricultural community.

Longitudinal measures of phthalate exposure and asthma exacerbation in a rural agricultural cohort of Latino children in Yakima Valley, Washington.

Phthalates are a class of widely used synthetic chemicals found in commonly used materials and products. Epidemiological studies suggest phthalate exposure is associated with asthma outcomes, though most studies have not investigated phthalates as triggers of exacerbations in children diagnosed with asthma. This study used data from the Home Air in Agriculture Pediatric Intervention Trial (HAPI) to examine relationships between phthalate exposure and outcomes related to childhood asthma exacerbation.

Wildfire, Smoke Exposure, Human Health, and Environmental Justice Need to be Integrated into Forest Restoration and Management.

Purpose Of Review: Increasing wildfire size and severity across the western United States has created an environmental and social crisis that must be approached from a transdisciplinary perspective. Climate change and more than a century of fire exclusion and wildfire suppression have led to contemporary wildfires with more severe environmental impacts and human smoke exposure. Wildfires increase smoke exposure for broad swaths of the US population, though outdoor workers and socially disadvantaged groups with limited adaptive capacity can be disproportionally exposed.

The Effect of Participatory Heat Education on Agricultural Worker Knowledge.

Objectives: Farmworkers disproportionately experience preventable adverse health effects from heat exposure. We sought to evaluate the effect of participatory heat education on farmworker knowledge.

Methods: We conducted a parallel, comparison group intervention study to investigate the effectiveness of a Spanish/English participatory, culturally-tailored, heat education-based intervention on farmworker heat knowledge in the Summer 2019.

Randomized trial of a portable HEPA air cleaner intervention to reduce asthma morbidity among Latino children in an agricultural community.

Background: Data on pediatric asthma morbidity and effective environmental interventions in U.S. agricultural settings are few.

Effectiveness of portable HEPA air cleaners on reducing indoor endotoxin, PM and coarse particulate matter in an agricultural cohort of children with asthma: A randomized intervention trial.

We conducted a randomized trial of portable HEPA air cleaners in the homes of children age 6-12 years with asthma in the Yakima Valley, Washington. All families received asthma education while intervention families also received two HEPA cleaners (child's bedroom, living room). We collected 14-day integrated samples of endotoxin in settled dust and PM and PM in the air of the children's bedrooms at baseline and one-year follow-up, and used linear regression to compare follow-up levels, adjusting for baseline.

The multi-level heat education and awareness tools [HEAT] intervention study for farmworkers: Rationale and methods.

Background: The burden of adverse health effects from heat exposure is substantial, and outdoor workers who perform heavy physical work are at high risk. Though heat prevention interventions have been developed, studies have not yet systematically evaluated the effectiveness of approaches that address risk factors at multiple levels.

Objective: We sought to test the effectiveness of a multi-level heat prevention approach (heat education and awareness tools [HEAT]), which includes participatory training for outdoor agricultural workers that addresses individual and community factors and a heat awareness mobile application for agricultural supervisors that supports decisions about workplace heat prevention, in the Northwest United States.

Warming from tropical deforestation reduces worker productivity in rural communities.

The accelerating loss of tropical forests in the 21st century has eliminated cooling services provided by trees in low latitude countries. Cooling services can protect rural communities and outdoor workers with little adaptive capacity from adverse heat exposure, which is expected to increase with climate change. Yet little is still known about whether cooling services can mitigate negative impacts of heat on labor productivity among rural outdoor workers.

Effectiveness of portable HEPA air cleaners on reducing indoor PM and NH in an agricultural cohort of children with asthma: A randomized intervention trial.

We conducted a randomized trial of portable HEPA air cleaners with pre-filters designed to also reduce NH in non-smoking homes of children age 6-12 with asthma in Yakima Valley (Washington, USA). Participants were recruited through the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic asthma education program. All participants received education on home triggers while intervention families additionally received two HEPA cleaners (child's sleeping area, main living area).

The home air in agriculture pediatric intervention (HAPI) trial: Rationale and methods.

Background: Data addressing air quality effects on children with asthma in rural U.S. communities are rare.

Association between work in deforested, compared to forested, areas and human heat strain: An experimental study in a rural tropical environment.

Background: With climate change, adverse human health effects caused by heat exposure are of increasing public health concern. Forests provide beneficial ecosystem services for human health, including local cooling. Few studies have assessed the relationship between deforestation and heat-related health effects in tropical, rural populations.

Associations between heat exposure, vigilance, and balance performance in summer tree fruit harvesters.

Background: We sought to evaluate potential mediators of the relationship between heat exposure and traumatic injuries in outdoor agricultural workers.

Methods: Linear mixed models were used to estimate associations between maximum work-shift Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and post-shift vigilance (reaction time) and postural sway (total path length) in a cross-sectional sample of 46 Washington State tree fruit harvesters in August-September 2015.

Results: The mean (SD) WBGT was 27.

Hydration and Cooling Practices Among Farmworkers in Oregon and Washington.

Objectives: Although recommendations for preventing occupational heat-related illness among farmworkers include hydration and cooling practices, the extent to which these recommendations are universally practiced is unknown. The objective of this analysis was to compare hydration and cooling practices between farmworkers in Oregon and Washington.

Methods: A survey was administered to a purposive sample of Oregon and Washington farmworkers.

Heat exposure and productivity in orchards: Implications for climate change research.

Recent studies suggest that heat exposure degrades work productivity, but such studies have not considered individual- and workplace-level factors. Forty-six tree-fruit harvesters (98% Latino/a) from 6 orchards participated in a cross-sectional study in central/eastern Washington in 2015. The association between maximum measured work-shift wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and productivity (total weight of fruit bins collected per time worked) was estimated using linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for relevant confounders.

Risk Factors for Heat-Related Illness in Washington Crop Workers.

Crop workers are at high risk of heat-related illness (HRI) from internal heat generated by heavy physical work, particularly when laboring in hot and humid conditions. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for HRI symptoms in Washington crop workers using an audio computer-assisted self-interview (A-CASI) instrument that has undergone reliability and validity evaluation. A cross-sectional A-CASI survey of 97 crop workers in Washington State was conducted during the summer of 2013.

Determinants of butyrylcholinesterase inhibition among agricultural pesticide handlers in Washington State: an update.

Objectives: Organophosphate (OP) and N-methyl-carbamate (CB) insecticides are used widely in agriculture to manage insect pests of economic importance. Agricultural workers are more likely to suffer exposure because of the widespread use of OP/CBs in agriculture, and pesticide-related illnesses among handlers may be more severe when compared to other farm workers. The goal of this study was to identify occupational and personal characteristics associated with butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition in participants recruited from the Washington State Cholinesterase Monitoring Program from 2006 to 2011.

Heat-related illness in Washington State agriculture and forestry sectors.

Background: We sought to describe heat-related illness (HRI) in agriculture and forestry workers in Washington State.

Methods: Demographic and clinical Washington State Fund workers' compensation agriculture and forestry HRI claims data (1995-2009) and Washington Agriculture Heat Rule citations (2009-2012) were accessed and described. Maximum daily temperature (Tmax) and Heat Index (HImax) were estimated by claim date and location using AgWeatherNet's weather station network.

Assessing Hmong farmers' safety and health.

This pilot project investigated agricultural-related safety and health issues among Hmong refugees working on family-operated farms. Novel approaches, namely participatory rural appraisal and photovoice, were used to conduct a qualitative occupational hazard assessment with a group of Hmong farmers in Washington State. These two methods were useful in gathering participants' own perspectives about priority concerns.

Identification of barriers to the prevention and treatment of heat-related illness in Latino farmworkers using activity-oriented, participatory rural appraisal focus group methods.

Background: Heat-related illness (HRI) is an important cause of non-fatal illness and death in farmworkers. We sought to identify potential barriers to HRI prevention and treatment in Latino farmworkers.

Methods: We conducted three semi-structured focus group discussions with 35 Latino farmworkers in the Central Washington, USA area using participatory rural appraisal techniques.