Longitudinal Renal Function Degradation Among Florida Agricultural Workers.

Objective: This longitudinal study evaluated renal function and acute kidney injury (AKI) over time in US agricultural workers.

Methods: We followed Florida agricultural workers from January 2020 to August 2022, collecting blood and urine preworkday and postworkday during five visits.

Results: Preworkday estimated glomerular filtration rate function in all participants was lower in summers but relatively consistent over time.

The impact of heat exposures on biomarkers of AKI and plasma metabolome among agricultural and non-agricultural workers.

Background: Agricultural workers are consistently exposed to elevated heat exposures and vulnerable to acute kidney injury. The underlying pathophysiology and detailed molecular mechanisms of AKI among agricultural workers, and the disproportionate burden of HRI and heat stress exposure are not well understood, especially at the level of cellular metabolism.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of heat exposures on renal biomarkers and on the human metabolome via untargeted high-resolution metabolomics among agricultural and non-agricultural workers.

Retention of Agricultural Workers Participating in a Renal Longitudinal Study.

Objectives: The relationship between heat stress, chronic kidney diseases and acute kidney injury has been documented in cross-sectional studies with agricultural workers. However, only a few international studies have assessed renal function in agricultural workers longitudinally. Our research study, Occupational Heat Exposure and Renal Dysfunction (OHEaRD) is the first longitudinal study in the U.

A Pilot Study Examining the Use of Ultrasound to Measure Intravascular Volume Status in Agricultural Workers in a Field-Based Research Setting.

Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to explore if internal jugular vein (IJV) ultrasound studies on agricultural workers in a field-based research setting could assess volume status during a hydration intervention.

Methods: We performed pre- and post-work shift IJV ultrasound images on 30 agricultural workers. The IJV collapsibility index values were <39% (euvolemic) or ≥39% (hypovolemic).

Retrospective Assessment of Human-Chemical Interactions in Health-Disparity Populations: A Process Evaluation of Life History Calendars.

Life-history calendars (LHCs) can produce retrospective data regarding numerous events, exposures, and sequences that have occurred across participants' lifespans. In this mixed-quantitative-and-qualitative-methods study, processes of LHC administration were evaluated in two populations experiencing health disparities: foreign-born agricultural workers (n = 41) and Indigenous people who used injection drugs (IPWIDS) (n = 40). LHC administrator and participant perspectives were elicited during follow-up survey activities.

Soft Wireless Bioelectronics Designed for Real-Time, Continuous Health Monitoring of Farmworkers.

Hotter summers caused by global warming and increased workload and duration are endangering the health of farmworkers, a high-risk population for heat-related illness (HRI), and deaths. Although prior studies using wearable sensors show the feasibility of employing field-collected data for HRI monitoring, existing devices still have limitations, such as data loss from motion artifacts, device discomfort from rigid electronics, difficulties with administering ingestible sensors, and low temporal resolution. Here, this paper introduces a wireless, wearable bioelectronic system with functionalities for continuous monitoring of skin temperature, electrocardiograms (ECG), heart rates (HR), and activities, configured in a single integrated package.

Hydration Interventions Among Agricultural Workers: A Pilot Study.

Objective: To estimate the impact of hydration interventions on postworkday hydration status and incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods: Thirty agricultural workers were first monitored on a workday without any interventions. On the intervention workday, the same workers were randomized to one of two groups: 169 ounces (oz) (5 L) of plain water (n = 16) or 169 oz (5L) of water with electrolytes (n = 14).

The Health Status of Hispanic Agricultural Workers in Georgia and Florida.

To examine the health status of Hispanic agricultural workers in Florida and Georgia. Health data from agricultural workers in the Farm Worker Family Health Program (June 2019) and research studies in Florida (May 2015 and May 2019) were examined. Data from 728 agricultural workers were collected through sociodemographic questionnaire and clinical data.

COVID-19 and Agricultural Workers: A Descriptive Study.

Agricultural workers, designated as "essential" at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, work in harsh labor conditions, and now have the added challenge of continuing to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess agricultural workers' COVID-19 related history, employer-based safety measures, individual preventive practices, and COVID-19 vaccination uptake. A questionnaire study was conducted among agricultural workers in Central Florida about COVID-19 during the month of June 2020 and again in July 2021.

Characterization of Lifetime Agrichemical Exposure Sequences Relative to International Migration in Foreign Born Latinx Agricultural Workers Living in South Florida.

There is a limited understanding of how toxic exposures to agrichemicals vary relative to international migration over the life course. A life history calendar (LHC) was piloted to explore sequences of agrichemical exposure relative to international migration. LHCs were administered to 41 foreign born individuals from Mexico and Central America who had agricultural work experience during their lifetime and who were living in South Florida.

Comparative Effectiveness of Training Alternatives for the EPA's Worker Protection Standard Regulation Among Immigrant Latino Farmworkers.

Objectives: To determine the comparative effectiveness of two EPA-approved WPS training strategies.

Methods: Farmworkers in GA and FL blinded to content before training (N = 339) were randomly assigned to either a video training (n = 121) or a culturally tailored, facilitator-led training (n = 136), or an attention-placebo training focused on heat-related illness (n = 82). Data were obtained immediately before and after training and 3 months after training.

Inflammation-Related Factors Identified as Biomarkers of Dehydration and Subsequent Acute Kidney Injury in Agricultural Workers.

Globally, there is increasing recognition that agricultural workers are at risk for chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKD). Recurrent heat exposure, physical exertion, dehydration, muscle damage, and inflammation are hypothesized to contribute to the development of CKD, but the relative importance of these processes and the interactions among them remain unclear. Moreover, there is a need to identify biomarkers that could distinguish individuals who are at greatest risk for kidney damage to target preventative interventions for CKD.

Cooling Interventions Among Agricultural Workers: Qualitative Field-Based Study.

Introduction: Agricultural workers perform intense labor outside in direct sunlight and in humid environmental conditions exposing them to a high risk of heat-related illness (HRI). To implement effective cooling interventions in occupational settings, it is important to consider workers' perceptions. To date, an analysis of agricultural workers' experience and perception of cooling devices used in the field while working has not been published.

Cooling Interventions Among Agricultural Workers: A Pilot Study.

Background: Adverse health effects among agricultural workers due to chronic heat exposure have been characterized in the literature as not only due to high ambient temperatures but also due to intensive manual labor in hot and humid conditions. The aim of this study was to use biomonitoring equipment to examine the effectiveness of selected cooling devices at preventing agricultural workers from exceeding the core body temperature threshold of 38.0°C (Tc38) and attenuating heat-related illness symptoms.

Cooling intervention studies among outdoor occupational groups: A review of the literature.

Background: The purpose of this systematic review is to examine cooling intervention research in outdoor occupations, evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions, and offer recommendations for future studies. This review focuses on outdoor occupational studies conducted at worksites or simulated occupational tasks in climatic chambers.

Methods: This systematic review was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.