Occupational heat-related illness in Washington State: A descriptive study of day of illness and prior day ambient temperatures among cases and clusters, 2006-2021.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Insufficient heat acclimatization is a risk factor for heat-related illness (HRI) morbidity, particularly during periods of sudden temperature increase. We sought to characterize heat exposure on days before, and days of, occupational HRIs.

Methods

A total of 1241 Washington State workers' compensation State Fund HRI claims from 2006 to 2021 were linked with modeled parameter-elevation regressions on independent slopes model (PRISM) meteorological data. We determined location-specific maximum temperatures (T_max,PRISM ) on the day of illness (DOI) and prior days, and whether the T_max,PRISM was ≥10.0°F (~5.6°C) higher than the average of past 5 days ("sudden increase") for each HRI claim. Claims occurring on days with ≥10 HRI claims ("clusters"

SUBMITTER: Spector JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10330917 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature