Education and Resources for Heat Stress

Overseen By Nicolas I Lopez-Galvez, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: San Diego State University

Disqualifiers: Not living in Imperial County

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The investigators are studying the dangers that farmworkers face while working in the fields and at home. The investigators goals are: 1. Measure how much heat and chemicals farmworkers in Imperial County are exposed to. The investigators will ask the participants to wear a special belt under their clothes during work to measure heat. The investigators will also put two small temperature monitors in the participant's home for a day. The investigators will collect a urine sample to check hydration, and also measure the participants height, weight, blood pressure, and some blood markers for diseases using a simple finger-prick test. To measure chemicals, the investigators will give the participants a wristband to wear for a week and hang another in the participants home. The investigators will also collect dust from each participant's home with a vacuum. Then, the investigators will analyze everything at San Diego State University. After collecting samples, a trained community health worker will ask the participants a few questions about their work, lifestyle, health symptoms, and any hazards they face. The investigators will meet the participants twice at their homes to distribute the tools which will later be collected. Once the tools are collected, the investigators will have the chance to follow up with the participants if they have any questions. 2. Provide help to lower heat and chemical exposure with the help of community health workers. 3. Measure heat and chemicals again using the same methods to see if the project made a difference. 4. Talk to participants about what they liked and how the investigators can make future projects better.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems unlikely that you would need to stop, as the study focuses on measuring heat and chemical exposure, not on medication effects.

Is the heat stress reduction intervention safe for humans?

The research highlights the importance of preventive strategies like training, monitoring, and hydration to reduce heat-related illnesses, suggesting that with proper precautions, the intervention can be safe for humans. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the Education and Resources for Heat Stress treatment differ from other treatments for heat-related illness?

This treatment is unique because it focuses on participatory education and the use of a mobile app to support decision-making, which empowers farmworkers and supervisors to better manage heat stress through increased knowledge and awareness, rather than relying solely on medical interventions. ^{2 3 4 6 7}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Community Health Worker Intervention, Community Health Worker Intervention, Heat Stress Reduction Intervention, Chemical Exposure Reduction Intervention in the Education and Resources for Heat Stress clinical trial?

Research shows that training, education, and preventive strategies like rest-shade-water programs can help reduce heat-related illnesses in workers exposed to high temperatures. These interventions have been effective in various settings, such as municipal outdoor workers and agricultural workers, by improving awareness and reducing physiological heat strain. ^{1 2 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for farmworkers living in Imperial County, California who work in agriculture and plan to stay in the area for at least six months. It's not suitable for those who don't meet these specific conditions.

Inclusion Criteria

Currently living in Imperial County, California, USA

Plan on living in Imperial Valley for the next 6 months

I currently work in agriculture.

Exclusion Criteria

Not planning to live in Imperial Valley for the next 6 months

Not currently living in Imperial County, California, USA

Not currently working in agriculture

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants' heat and chemical exposure levels are measured using wearable devices and home monitors. Biological samples are collected for analysis.

1 week

2 visits (in-person)

Intervention

Community health workers provide assistance to reduce heat and chemical exposure.

4 weeks

Post-Intervention Assessment

Heat and chemical exposure levels are measured again using the same methods to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness.

1 week

2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any additional feedback and to discuss improvements for future projects.

2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Community Health Worker Intervention

Trial Overview The study tests if education and resources provided by community health workers can reduce heat stress and chemical exposures among farmworkers. Participants will wear monitoring devices and provide samples to measure their exposure levels before and after intervention.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: All participants Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

All participants will receive the intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

San Diego State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

182

Recruited

119,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The implementation of a Heat Stress Awareness Program for outdoor workers significantly reduced the frequency of heat-related illnesses, especially among those with multiple risk factors, from 2009 to 2017.

Median workers' compensation costs for heat-related injuries decreased by 50% after the program was introduced, highlighting the program's effectiveness in both health and economic outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outcomes of a Heat Stress Awareness Program on Heat-Related Illness in Municipal Outdoor Workers. McCarthy, RB., Shofer, FS., Green-McKenzie, J.[2020]

Hazardous waste workers face a high risk of heat stress due to the use of vapor-barrier clothing, which hinders the body's ability to cool itself through evaporation, increasing the likelihood of heat-related illnesses.

Medical surveillance and individualized fitness assessments are crucial for identifying at-risk workers and implementing preventive strategies, such as proper hydration, work scheduling, and cooling equipment, to mitigate heat stress in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Heat stress in hazardous waste workers: evaluation and prevention. Favata, EA., Buckler, G., Gochfeld, M.[2006]

The study focused on a rest-shade-water intervention program aimed at preventing heat-stress-related kidney disease among workers in a Nicaraguan sugarcane field, highlighting the importance of effective implementation in assessing intervention success.

Key lessons learned emphasize that a transdisciplinary approach is essential for designing and implementing health interventions, as well as the need for strong communication between researchers and management to balance worker health and productivity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Workplace Intervention for Heat Stress: Essential Elements of Design, Implementation, and Assessment. Glaser, J., Wegman, DH., Arias-Monge, E., et al.[2022]

The HEAT intervention, which included participatory heat education and a mobile app for supervisors, showed a trend towards reducing physiological heat strain (measured by PSImax) in farmworkers, particularly during high exertion levels, although the results were not statistically significant.

Factors such as older age, higher ambient heat index, and longer walking distances to toilets were associated with increased reporting of heat-related illness symptoms, highlighting the need for comprehensive heat management strategies that consider both education and structural barriers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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. Chavez Santos, E., Spector, JT., Egbert, J., et al.[2023]

A study involving 65 oil spill cleanup responders revealed that many experience heat-related illness (HRI) symptoms due to factors like high temperatures, humidity, and protective gear, highlighting the need for better training and prevention strategies.

Responders expressed a strong preference for modern training methods, such as smartphone apps and online resources, indicating a shift towards more accessible and engaging educational materials to prevent HRI during cleanup activities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Heat-Related Training and Educational Material Needs among Oil Spill Cleanup Responders. Jacklitsch, BL., King, KA., Vidourek, RA., et al.[2020]

A participatory heat education intervention significantly improved heat knowledge among farmworkers, with average scores increasing from 4.6 to 6.3 over the summer season, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing awareness of heat-related risks.

The intervention group showed a greater improvement in knowledge compared to the control group, suggesting that culturally-tailored education can be a valuable tool in preventing heat-related health issues among farmworkers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Participatory Heat Education on Agricultural Worker Knowledge. Marquez, D., Krenz, JE., Chavez Santos, É., et al.[2023]

A pilot study involving focus groups of Hispanic farmworkers in South Carolina revealed that inexperienced or new workers are perceived to be at the highest risk for heat-related illnesses (HRI).

Farmworkers showed a positive response to training on the OSHA Heat Safety Tool app, indicating that mobile technology could effectively enhance heat safety education and empower supervisors to play a more active role in HRI prevention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"I Think the Temperature was 110 Degrees!": Work Safety Discussions Among Hispanic Farmworkers. Luque, JS., Bossak, BH., Davila, CB., et al.[2021]

Hispanic/Latino farmworkers are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses (HRIs) due to cultural factors and acculturative stressors, which affect their health and safety behaviors.

Interventions aimed at reducing HRIs in this population must consider these cultural factors to be effective, as they significantly influence the workers' risk and response to heat exposure.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cultural Factors, Migrant Status, and Vulnerability to Increasing Temperatures among Hispanic/Latino Farmworkers: A Systematic Review. Berumen-Flucker, B., Kekeh, M., Akpinar-Elci, M.[2022]

Nearly 30% of farmworkers reported experiencing two or more symptoms of heat-related illness (HRI) during their work, highlighting a significant health risk in this population.

Only 21% of farmworkers had a high level of heat knowledge, and many were uncomfortable taking breaks, indicating a need for improved education and training on HRI prevention and management in agricultural settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Heat-related illness among Oregon farmworkers. Bethel, JW., Harger, R.[2023]

Most Latino farmworkers are aware of heat-related illness (HRI) symptoms and prevention strategies, but many have not received formal training on HRI, indicating a gap in education that could be addressed to improve safety.

Barriers to effective HRI prevention include misconceptions about cooling treatments, preferences for caffeinated drinks over water, and concerns about water quality at work, suggesting that targeted health education and workplace interventions are needed.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identification of barriers to the prevention and treatment of heat-related illness in Latino farmworkers using activity-oriented, participatory rural appraisal focus group methods. Lam, M., Krenz, J., Palmández, P., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Outcomes of a Heat Stress Awareness Program on Heat-Related Illness in Municipal Outdoor Workers. [2020]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Heat stress in hazardous waste workers: evaluation and prevention. [2006]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Workplace Intervention for Heat Stress: Essential Elements of Design, Implementation, and Assessment. [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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. [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Heat-Related Training and Educational Material Needs among Oil Spill Cleanup Responders. [2020]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Participatory Heat Education on Agricultural Worker Knowledge. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"I Think the Temperature was 110 Degrees!": Work Safety Discussions Among Hispanic Farmworkers. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cultural Factors, Migrant Status, and Vulnerability to Increasing Temperatures among Hispanic/Latino Farmworkers: A Systematic Review. [2022]

9. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Heat-related illness among Oregon farmworkers. [2023]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identification of barriers to the prevention and treatment of heat-related illness in Latino farmworkers using activity-oriented, participatory rural appraisal focus group methods. [2022]