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An Occupational Heat Stress and Hydration Assessment of Agricultural Workers in North Mexico

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  • Rietta S. Wagoner

    (Department of Community, Environment, and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Nicolas I. López-Gálvez

    (Department of Community, Environment, and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Jill G. de Zapien

    (Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Stephanie C. Griffin

    (Department of Community, Environment, and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Robert A. Canales

    (Interdisciplinary Program in Applied Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Paloma I. Beamer

    (Department of Community, Environment, and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

Abstract

Expanding agribusiness in Northern Mexico has increased demand for workers from Southern Mexico, with hundreds of thousands migrating for work annually. Extreme temperatures, physical labor, and low fluid consumption place workers at risk for heat strain and dehydration, commonly underreported hazards in the agricultural industry. The objectives of this pilot study were to assess heat exposure and hydration status of a population of migratory agricultural workers in Northern Mexico throughout the grape harvest season. In addition to demographic information, environmental conditions, hydration status, and core body temperatures were collected. The majority listed Chiapas as their home state, nearly half spoke an Indigenous language, and none had completed high school. The wet-bulb globe temperature was significantly higher during the harvest and post-harvest seasons compared to the pre-harvest season. Across the different seasons, the majority were dehydrated post-shift, and mean core body temperature of workers was not significantly different. This project highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve hydration and prevent heat stress in this region. As the number of warm days is expected to rise each year worldwide, it will be increasingly important to engage in practices to protect vulnerable populations, such as migratory agriculture workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Rietta S. Wagoner & Nicolas I. López-Gálvez & Jill G. de Zapien & Stephanie C. Griffin & Robert A. Canales & Paloma I. Beamer, 2020. "An Occupational Heat Stress and Hydration Assessment of Agricultural Workers in North Mexico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-13, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:2102-:d:335508
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Laura J. Elstub & Shimra J. Fine & Karl E. Zelik, 2021. "Exoskeletons and Exosuits Could Benefit from Mode-Switching Body Interfaces That Loosen/Tighten to Improve Thermal Comfort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Mkaddem, Chamseddine & Mahjoubi, Soufiane, 2022. "Climate change and its impact on water consumption in Tunisia: Evidence from ARDL approach," MPRA Paper 115658, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Dec 2022.
    4. Zijun Li & Huasen Liu & Yu Xu & Rongrong Li & Mintao Jia & Mengsheng Zhang, 2021. "Numerical Analysis on the Thermal Performance in an Excavating Roadway with Auxiliary Ventilation System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Yang Liu & Xiaoling Li & Jiarui Lai & Aibin Zhu & Xiaodong Zhang & Ziming Zheng & Huijin Zhu & Yueyang Shi & Long Wang & Zhangyi Chen, 2021. "The Effects of a Passive Exoskeleton on Human Thermal Responses in Temperate and Cold Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.

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