| 1. |
- Adam-Poupart, Ariane, et al.
(författare)
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Climate Change and Occupational Health and Safety in a Temperate Climate : Potential Impacts and Research Priorities in Quebec, Canada
- 2013
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Ingår i: Industrial Health. - : National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, Japan. - 0019-8366 .- 1880-8026. ; 51:1, s. 68-78
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The potential impacts of climate change (CC) on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) have been studied a little in tropical countries, while they received no attention in northern industrialized countries with a temperate climate. This work aimed to establish an overview of the potential links between CC and OHS in those countries and to determine research priorities for Quebec, Canada. A narrative review of the scientific literature (2005-2010) was presented to a working group of international and national experts and stakeholders during a workshop held in 2010. The working group was invited to identify knowledge gaps, and a modified Delphi method helped prioritize research avenues. This process highlighted five categories of hazards that are likely to impact OHS in northern industrialized countries: heat waves/increased temperatures, air pollutants, UV radiation, extreme weather events, vector-borne/zoonotic diseases. These hazards will affect working activities related to natural resources (i.e. agriculture, fishing and forestry) and may influence the socioeconomic context (built environment and green industries), thus indirectly modifying OHS. From this consensus approach, three categories of research were identified: 1) Knowledge acquisition on hazards, target populations and methods of adaptation; 2) Surveillance of diseases/accidents/occupational hazards; and 3) Development of new occupational adaptation strategies.
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| 2. |
- Ahlberg, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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"Vi klimatforskare stödjer Greta och skolungdomarna"
- 2019
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Ingår i: Dagens nyheter (DN debatt). - 1101-2447.
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Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- DN DEBATT 15/3. Sedan industrialiseringens början har vi använt omkring fyra femtedelar av den mängd fossilt kol som får förbrännas för att vi ska klara Parisavtalet. Vi har bara en femtedel kvar och det är bråttom att kraftigt reducera utsläppen. Det har Greta Thunberg och de strejkande ungdomarna förstått. Därför stödjer vi deras krav, skriver 270 klimatforskare.
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| 3. |
- Bi, Peng, et al.
(författare)
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The Effects of Extreme Heat on Human Mortality and Morbidity in Australia : Implications for Public Health
- 2011
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Ingår i: Asia-Pacific journal of public health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1010-5395 .- 1941-2479. ; 23:2, s. 27S-36S
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Most regions of Australia are exposed to hot summers and regular extreme heat events; and numerous studies have associated high ambient temperatures with adverse health outcomes in Australian cities. Extreme environmental heat can trigger the onset of acute conditions, including heat stroke and dehydration, as well as exacerbate a range of underlying illnesses. Consequently, in the absence of adaptation, the associated mortality and morbidity are expected to increase in a warming climate, particularly within the vulnerable populations of the elderly, children, those with chronic diseases, and people engaged in physical labour in noncooled environments. There is a need for further research to address the evidence needs of public health agencies in Australia. Building resilience to extreme heat events, especially for the most vulnerable groups, is a priority. Public health professionals and executives need to be aware of the very real and urgent need to act now.
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| 4. |
- Byass, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Assessing a population's exposure to heat and humidity : an empirical approach
- 2010
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : CoAction Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 3, s. Article nr 5421-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: It is widely accepted that assessing the impact of heat on populations is an important aspect of climate change research. However, this raises questions about how best to measure people’s exposure to heat under everyday living conditions in more detail than is possible by relying on nearby sources of meteorological data. Objective: This study aimed to investigate practical and viable approaches to measuring air temperature and humidity within a population, making comparisons with contemporaneous external data sources. This was done in a rural South African population during the subtropical summer season. Results: Air temperature and humidity were measured indoors and outdoors at three locations over 10 days and the datalogger technology proved reliable and easy to use. There was little variation in measurements over distances of 10 km. Conclusions: Small battery-powered automatic dataloggers proved to be a feasible option for collecting weather data among a rural South African population. These data were consistent with external sources but offered more local detail. Detailed local contemporary data may also allow post hoc modelling of previously unmeasured local weather data in conjunction with global gridded climate models.
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| 5. |
- Crowe, Jennifer, 1976-
(författare)
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Heat exposure and health outcomes in Costa Rican sugarcane harvesters
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background The remarkably efficient mechanisms of the human body to maintain its core temperature of 37°C can be inadequate when harsh climatic conditions and excessive muscle movement lead to heat stress, dehydration and potential heat illness, ranging from minor symptoms such as fatigue to a potentially fatal heat stroke. Agricultural workers in the tropics are at high risk, which is expected to increase with climate change. Sugarcane harvesting in Costa Rica is largely done by cutting the cane with a machete, by temporary, sub-contracted workers who are often migrants and living in poverty. Sugarcane harvesters are known to be affected by an epidemic of chronic kidney disease of non-traditional origin, currently hypothesized to be related to working conditions.Objectives This work aimed to better understand and document sugarcane harvester exposure to heat and the health consequences of working under such conditions. Specific objectives were to 1) Document working conditions and heat in the Costa Rican sugarcane industry (Paper I); 2) Quantify heat stress exposures faced by sugarcane harvesters in Costa Rica (Paper II); and 3) Quantify the occurrence of heat stress symptoms and abnormal urinary parameters in sugarcane workers in Costa Rica (Papers III and IV).Methods This study took place over three harvests following a pilot assessment prior to the first harvest. Methods included direct observation, semi-structured interviews with 24 individuals and a participatory workshop with 8 harvesters about heat-related perceptions, exposures and coping strategies during the harvest and non-harvest season (Pilot). Researchers accompanied workers in the field during all three harvests, measured wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and conducted direct observation. Heat exposure assessment was conducted by calculating metabolic load, WBGT and corresponding limit values based on international guidelines (NTP and OSHA) (Harvest 1). Self-reported symptom data were collected using orally-administered questionnaires from 106 sugarcane harvesters and 63 non-harvesters from the same company (Harvest 2). Chi-square test and gamma statistic were used to evaluate differences in self-reported symptoms and trends over heat exposure categories. Finally, liquid consumption during the work shift was documented and urinalysis was conducted pre-and post-shift in 48 sugarcane harvesters on three days; differences were assessed with McNemar´s test on paired proportions (Harvest 3).Results Sugarcane workers in both the harvest and non-harvest seasons are exposed to heat, but particularly during the harvest season. Field workers have to carry their own water to the field and often have no access to shade. Some plantworkers are also exposed to intense heat. The metabolic load of sugarcane harvesting was determined to be 261 W/m2. The corresponding threshold value is 26 ◦C WBGT, above which workers should decrease work load or take breaks to avoid the risk of heat stress. Harvesters in this study were at risk of heat stress as early as 7:15 am on some mornings and by 9:00 am on all mornings. After 9:15 am, OSHA recommendations would require that harvesters only work at full effort 25% of each hour to avoid heat stress. Heat and dehydration symptoms at least once per week were experienced significantly more frequently among harvesters than non-harvesters (p<0.05): headache, tachycardia, fever, nausea, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and dysuria. Percentages of workers reporting heat and dehydration-related symptoms increased over increasing heat exposure categories. Total liquid consumed ranged from 1 to 9 L and differed over days (median 5.0, 4.0 and 3.25 on days 1, 2 and 3 respectively). On these same days, the two principle indicators of dehydration: high USG (≥1.025) and low pH (≤5), changed significantly from pre to post-shift (p=0.000 and p=0.012).Proportions of workers with proteinuria >30 mg/dL, and blood, leucocytes and casts in urine were also significantly different between pre and post-shift samples at the group level, but unlike USG and pH, these alterations were more frequent in the pre-shift sample. 85% of workers presented with proteinuria at least once and 52% had at least one post-shift USG indicative of dehydration.Conclusion Heat exposure is an important occupational health risk for sugarcane workers according to international standards. A large percentage of harvesters experience symptoms consistent with heat exhaustion throughout the harvest season. Pre and post-shift urine samples demonstrate dehydration and other abnormal findings. The results of this study demonstrate an urgent need to improve working conditions for sugarcane harvesters both under current conditions and in adaptation plans for future climate change.
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| 6. |
- Crowe, Jennifer, et al.
(författare)
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Heat exposure in sugarcane harvesters in Costa Rica
- 2013
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Ingår i: American Journal of Industrial Medicine. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0271-3586 .- 1097-0274. ; 56:10, s. 1157-1164
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Occupational heat stress is a major concern in sugarcane production and has been hypothesized as a causal factor of a chronic kidney disease epidemic in Central America. This study described working conditions of sugarcane harvesters in Costa Rica and quantified their exposure to heat.METHODS: Non-participatory observation and Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures (WBGT) according to Spanish NTP (Technical Prevention Notes) guidelines were utilized to quantify the risk of heat stress. OSHA recommendations were used to identify corresponding exposure limit values.RESULTS: Sugarcane harvesters carried out labor-intensive work with a metabolic load of 261 W/m(2) (6.8 kcal/min), corresponding to a limit value of 26° WBGT which was reached by 7:30 am on most days. After 9:15 am, OSHA recommendations would require that workers only work 25% of each hour to avoid health risks from heat.CONCLUSIONS: Sugarcane harvesters are at risk for heat stress for the majority of the work shift. Immediate action is warranted to reduce such exposures.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Dapi, Léonie N, et al.
(författare)
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Heat impact on schoolchildren in Cameroon, Africa : potential health threat from climate change
- 2010
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : CoAction Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 3, s. Article nr 5610-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Health impacts related to climate change are potentially an increasing problem in Cameroon, especially during hot seasons when there are no means for protective and adaptive actions.Objective: To describe environmental conditions in schools and to evaluate the impact of heat on schoolchildren’s health during school days in the Cameroon cities of Yaounde´ and Douala.Methods: Schoolchildren (N=285) aged 12=16 years from public secondary schools completed a questionnaire about their background, general symptoms, and hot feelings in a cross-sectional study. In Yaounde´, 50 schoolchildren were individually interviewed during school days about hourly symptoms (fatigue, headache, and feeling very hot) and performance. Lascar dataloggers were used to measure indoor classroom temperatures and humidity.Results: There was a significant correlation between daily indoor temperature and the percentages of schoolchildren who felt very hot, had fatigue, and headaches in Yaounde´. A high proportion of schoolchildren felt very hot (48%), had fatigue (76%), and headaches (38%) in Yaounde´. Prevalences (%) were higher among girls than boys for headaches (58 vs 39), feeling ‘very hot overall’ (37 vs 21), and ‘very hot in head’ (21 vs 18). Up to 62% were absentminded and 45% had slow writing speed. High indoor temperatures of 32.58C in Yaounde´ and 36.68C in Douala were observed in school.Conclusions: Headache, fatigue, and feeling very hot associated with high indoor air temperature were observed among schoolchildren in the present study. Longitudinal data in schools are needed to confirm these results. School environmental conditions should be improved in order to enhance learning.
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| 9. |
- De Blois, Jonathan, et al.
(författare)
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The Effects of Climate Change on Cardiac Health
- 2015
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Ingår i: Cardiology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1421-9751 .- 0008-6312. ; 131:4, s. 209-217
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The earth's climate is changing and increasing ambient heat levels are emerging in large areas of the world. An important cause of this change is the anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases. Climate changes have a variety of negative effects on health, including cardiac health. People with preexisting medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease (including heart failure), people carrying out physically demanding work and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. This review evaluates the evidence base for the cardiac health consequences of climate conditions, with particular reference to increasing heat exposure, and it also explores the potential further implications.
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| 10. |
- Emmelin, Anders, 1950-
(författare)
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Counted - and then? : trends in child mortality within an Ethiopian demographic surveillance site
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background Knowledge of the state of health of a population is necessary for planning for health services for that population. It is a paradox that the health of populations is most commonly measured by mortality and cause of death patterns, but the absence of medical services available to a majority of the world population has made it unavoidable to equate “state of health” with “cause of death pattern”. In the absence of population registration, mortality and causes of death must be studied in samples from the population. The research presented in this thesis mainly has been done within such a sample in a collaborative project between Umeå university and the Addis Ababa university in Ethiopia. This research started 1986 and has run continuously since then. The thesis attempts to measure the effect that social and geographical inequalities has had on the mortality of the children in the study population. Population and Methods The population that is included in the demographic surveillance is the children under five years of age in nine rural and one urban community in central Ethiopia. Mortality and causes of death among the children have been followed since 1987. Results The mortality of the children in the study is high by international comparisons. The most important reason for mortality differences within the population is the difference in living conditions and societal services between the rural and urban areas. Approximately 45% of the child deaths could have been prevented if living conditions and services had been equal to rural and urban children. Conclusions Information concerning mortality and cause of death patterns are essential to planning. In order to empower the population, knowledge of the mortality and most common causes of death must be known to them.
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| 11. |
- Fagerberg, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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Extremvärme ett ökande problem för globala folkhälsan : Klimatförändringarnas negativa hälsoeffekter drabbar även Sverige
- 2016
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Ingår i: Läkartidningen. - 0023-7205 .- 1652-7518. ; 113:31-33
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Forskningsöversikt (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- High temperatures have a direct impact on body functions. Heat waves increase mortality risks due to myocardial infarction, stroke, and pulmonary disease. Cold temperatures also increase mortality, but with a longer latency. A recent study found only a small difference between the minimal mortality temperature (MMT) and the temperatures at which mortality rose steeply, although the majority of deaths occurred at temperatures below MMT. Global climate change with increasing temperatures seriously threatens health, work capacity, and generation of household incomes, particularly among poor people in hot countries. In Sweden, heat waves increase mortality in vulnerable groups of elderly people and patients with chronic heart and lung diseases, as well as those performing intensive physical work in hot environments. The medical profession can play an important role not only in prevention of climate change, but also in adaptation to climate change with the goal of minimizing health risks.
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| 12. |
- Friel, Sharon, et al.
(författare)
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Urban health inequities and the added pressure of climate change : an action-oriented research agenda
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of urban health. - New York : New York Academy of sciences. - 1099-3460 .- 1468-2869. ; 88:5, s. 886-895
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate change will likely exacerbate already existing urban social inequities and health risks, thereby exacerbating existing urban health inequities. Cities in low- and middle-income countries are particularly vulnerable. Urbanization is both a cause of and potential solution to global climate change. Most population growth in the foreseeable future will occur in urban areas primarily in developing countries. How this growth is managed has enormous implications for climate change given the increasing concentration and magnitude of economic production in urban localities, as well as the higher consumption practices of urbanites, especially the middle classes, compared to rural populations. There is still much to learn about the extent to which climate change affects urban health equity and what can be done effectively in different socio-political and socio-economic contexts to improve the health of urban dwelling humans and the environment. But it is clear that equity-oriented climate change adaptation means attention to the social conditions in which urban populations live-this is not just a climate change policy issue, it requires inter-sectoral action. Policies and programs in urban planning and design, workplace health and safety, and urban agriculture can help mitigate further climate change and adapt to existing climate change. If done well, these will also be good for urban health equity.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Hanna, Elizabeth G, et al.
(författare)
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Climate change and rising heat : population health implications for working people in Australia
- 2011
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Ingår i: Asia-Pacific journal of public health / Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1941-2479. ; 23:2 Suppl, s. 14S-26S
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The rapid rise in extreme heat events in Australia recently is already taking a health toll. Climate change scenarios predict increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in the future, and population health may be significantly compromised for people who cannot reduce their heat exposure. Exposure to extreme heat presents a health hazard to all who are physically active, particularly outdoor workers and indoor workers with minimal access to cooling systems while working. At air temperatures close to (or beyond) the core body temperature of 37°C, body cooling via sweating is essential, and this mechanism is hampered by high air humidity. Heat exposure among elite athletes and the military has been investigated, whereas the impacts on workers remain largely unexplored, particularly in relation to future climate change. Workers span all age groups and diverse levels of fitness and health status, including people with higher than "normal" sensitivity to heat. In a hotter world, workers are likely to experience more heat stress and find it increasingly difficult to maintain productivity. Modeling of future climate change in Australia shows a substantial increase in the number of very hot days (>35°C) across the country. In this article, the authors characterize the health risks associated with heat exposure on working people and discuss future exposure risks as temperatures rise. Progress toward developing occupational health and safety guidelines for heat in Australia are summarized.
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Hyatt, Olivia M, et al.
(författare)
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Regional maps of occupational heat exposure : past, present, and potential future
- 2010
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Ingår i: Global health action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9880 .- 1654-9716. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mapping method provides a rapid visual impression of occupational heat exposures in large regions of the world. The local changes in WBGT between 1975 and 2000 fit with the global climate change trends. Future increases of WBGT may create extreme heat exposure situations in large areas of the world.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
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Climate change and occupational heat problems
- 2013
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Ingår i: Industrial Health. - : National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, Japan. - 0019-8366 .- 1880-8026. ; 51:1, s. 1-2
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
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Climate change threats to population health and well-being : the imperative of protective solutions that will last
- 2013
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - Järfälla, Sweden : CoAction Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 6, s. Article nr 20816-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The observational evidence of the impacts of climate conditions on human health is accumulating. A variety of direct, indirect, and systemically mediated health effects have been identified. Excessive daily heat exposures create direct effects, such as heat stroke (and possibly death), reduce work productivity, and interfere with daily household activities. Extreme weather events, including storms, floods, and droughts, create direct injury risks and follow-on outbreaks of infectious diseases, lack of nutrition, and mental stress. Climate change will increase these direct health effects. Indirect effects include malnutrition and under-nutrition due to failing local agriculture, spread of vector-borne diseases and other infectious diseases, and mental health and other problems caused by forced migration from affected homes and workplaces. Examples of systemically mediated impacts on population health include famine, conflicts, and the consequences of large-scale adverse economic effects due to reduced human and environmental productivity. This article highlights links between climate change and non-communicable health problems, a major concern for global health beyond 2015. Discussion: Detailed regional analysis of climate conditions clearly shows increasing temperatures in many parts of the world. Climate modelling indicates that by the year 2100 the global average temperature may have increased by 3-4 degrees C unless fundamental reductions in current global trends for greenhouse gas emissions are achieved. Given other unforeseeable environmental, social, demographic, and geopolitical changes that may occur in a plus-4-degree world, that scenario may comprise a largely uninhabitable world for millions of people and great social and military tensions. Conclusion: It is imperative that we identify actions and strategies that are effective in reducing these increasingly likely threats to health and well-being. The fundamental preventive strategy is, of course, climate change mitigation by significantly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, especially long-acting carbon dioxide (CO2), and by increasing the uptake of CO2 at the earth's surface. This involves urgent shifts in energy production from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, energy conservation in building design and urban planning, and reduced waste of energy for transport, building heating/cooling, and agriculture. It would also involve shifts in agricultural production and food systems to reduce energy and water use particularly in meat production. There is also potential for prevention via mitigation, adaptation, or resilience building actions, but for the large populations in tropical countries, mitigation of climate change is required to achieve health protection solutions that will last.
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| 21. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
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Climate change, workplace heat exposure, and occupational health and productivity in Central America
- 2011
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Ingår i: International journal of occupational and environmental health. - : Maney Publishing. - 1077-3525 .- 2049-3967. ; 17:3, s. 270-81
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate change is increasing heat exposure in places such as Central America, a tropical region with generally hot/humid conditions. Working people are at particular risk of heat stress because of the intrabody heat production caused by physical labor. This article aims to describe the risks of occupational heat exposure on health and productivity in Central America, and to make tentative estimates of the impact of ongoing climate change on these risks. A review of relevant literature and estimation of the heat exposure variable wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) in different locations within the region were used to estimate the effects. We found that heat stress at work is a real threat. Literature from Central America and heat exposure estimates show that some workers are already at risk under current conditions. These conditions will likely worsen with climate change, demonstrating the need to create solutions that will protect worker health and productivity.
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| 22. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
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Den svenska vägtransportsektornsfolkhälsoeffekter : Ett diskussionsunderlag som beskriverutveckling och testning av HKB-metodikRapport från ett forskningsprojekt förVägverket, 2007.
- 2009
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- (Referenser till detta avsnitt redovisas i huvudtexten.)Bakgrund och syfteVägtransporter har en viktig roll i det moderna samhället, men de medförockså negativa effekter på folkhälsan. Trafikolyckor är ett välkänt problemi detta sammanhang, men under senare år har även andra hälsorisker uppmärksammatssom konsekvenser av den motordrivna vägtrafiken. I olikasvenska och internationella utvärderingar har följande risker nämnts:emissioner av luftförorenande ämnen och partiklar, trafikbuller, minskadfysisk aktivitet på grund av minskad gång och cykling, samt effekter avglobal klimatförändring delvis orsakad av växthusgaser från motorfordonsenergikonsumtion och emissioner av växthusgaser. Alla utvärderingar ärförknippade med signifikant osäkerhet, p.g.a. att metodiken är under utvecklingoch många väsentliga ingångsdata saknas. Dessutom uppstår hälsoriskeri form av arbetsskador bland yrkeschaufförer och barriär- och störningseffekterfrån transportinfrastrukturens intrång i människors livsmiljö,liksom indirekt vid olyckor med fordon som transporterar hälsofarliga kemikalier.De sistnämnda riskerna har inte kvantifierats i denna studie, eftersommetoder och ingångsdata är ännu mer osäkra.Detta forskningsprojekt har utförts på uppdrag av Vägverket med finansieringfrån Miljömålsrådet. Projektet har som syfte att utveckla och testa metoderför att kvantifiera dessa negativa hälsoeffekter i Sverige i början avtjugohundratalet, liksom att uppskatta dessas ekonomiska värde. Målgruppenför denna rapport är analytiker och forskare inom folkhälso-, miljö- ochtrafikområdena, samt myndigheter med ansvar för dessa områden eller förrutinstatistik över hälsa, miljö eller transporter.Projektet genomfördes under 2007 och 2008. Metodik och data diskuteradesunder ett antal möten mellan Kjellström, WSP kollegor och personalfrån Vägverket. Dessutom konsulterades under projektets gång ett antalexperter på de olika hälsoriskerna. En första version av denna rapportdiskuterades under ett seminarium i Stockholm 3 juni 2008 med ett 40-taldeltagare, experter och representanter för myndigheter (Vägverket, SIKA,Statens Folkhälsoinstitut, Socialstyrelsen och Naturvårds- verket). Efterseminariet hölls uppföljande diskussioner med ett stort antal av deltagarna.Nya data och förslag till modifiering av HKBn mottogs tacksamt, men vissaav dessa var motstridiga och alla förslag har inte kunnat beaktas ännu.Vi valde att hålla fast vid de beräkningsresultat som presenterades i juni,eftersom en kombination av de motstridiga förslagen ledde till liknanderesultat som de vi redan hade beräknat. Genom att bevara beräkningstabellernaundveks att de ekonomiska kalkylerna behövde göras om.Förhoppningsvis får projektet en uppföljning där svagheter i datatillgångoch analysmetoder kan åtgärdas inom ett bredare forskningssamarbeteEn meningsfull ekonomisk analys av hälsoeffekter måste naturligtvis baseraspå en identifiering av vilka ohälsotyper som orsakas av vilka exponeringarför hälsorisker av vägtrafik och hur stora effekterna är. Vi har i förstahand använt ingångsdata från epidemiologiska studier från Sverige ellerSkandinavien för att uppskatta hur hälsorisken ökar med exponeringsnivån.Det ekonomiska värdet av de beräknade hälsoeffekterna kan sedan uppskattasom kostnaderna för sjukvård och rehabilitering, förlorad produktion,m.m. kan kvantifieras. Ett alternativ är att uppskatta antalet förlorade hälsosammalevnadsår på grund av ohälsa orsakad av vägtrafik och beräkna utfalletmed hjälp av ”värdet av ett statistiskt levnadsår”. Ekonomiska beräkningarkan också göras via ”betalningsvilja” för att undvika specifika hälsoeffekter,men denna metodik förutsätter att deltagare i studier av betalningsviljahar full kännedom om de olika ohälsotyperna och risken att drabbas avdem.Vi beräknade antalet dödsfall och den sammanlagda sjukdoms- och skadebördanorsakad av vägtrafik i Sverige för ett år under tidigt 20-hundratal.Rapporten innehåller också ansatser till beräkningar av fall av sjukdom ochinvaliditet, men ingångsdata och metodiken för dessa är ännu inte särskiltpålitliga. Inom folkhälsosektorn kallas denna typ av utvärdering för hälsokonsekvensbedömning(HKB). Våra resultat har sedan värderats ekonomiskt,vilket beskrivs i den kompletterande rapporten från WSP. Vår kvantifieringoch värdering är den första som kombinerar en analys av alla deviktigaste hälsoriskerna som förknippas med vägtrafiken. Metoderna är tillvissa delar under utveckling och resultaten hittills är tänkta att utgöra diskussionsunderlag,snarare än underlag för trafikpolitiska beslut. Förhoppningsviskan arbetet fortsättas, så att slutresultatet blir en ny vetenskapligtbaserad beräkningsmetod för folkhälsoeffekter av vägtransporter och derasekonomiska konsekvenser.Just då denna rapport var under slutlig redigering, blev ett utkast till en vägledningsrapportfrån Världshälsoorganisationen (WHO) angående sammatyp av beräkningar, tillgänglig (WHO, 2008c). Vår metodik överensstämmeri stort med WHO-rapporten, men vi har gjort vissa begränsningar på grundav bristen på ingångsdata, även i ett avancerat land som Sverige. Troligenunderskattar vi därför de verkliga negativa folkhälsoeffekterna av vägtransporteri Sverige. Vi har inte försökt kvantifiera eventuella positiva effekter.Metoder, hälsoeffekterVår analys är baserad på år 2001 (eller närliggande år) och gäller vägtransporteri Sverige och hälsoeffekter på Sveriges befolkning, samt troligaeffekter på den globala folkhälsan av vägtrafikens växthusgasutsläpp iSverige. Effekterna på Sveriges befolkning är sammanställda på basis avdetaljerade åldersgrupper för de två könen, även om åldersuppdelade riskdatainte har uppmätts för vissa hälsorisker. Avsikten är att visa hur åldersfördelningenav effekterna kan tänkas se ut med de antaganden somgenerellt har använts i tidigare beräkningar som gällt större sammanlagdaåldersgrupper. De summerade effekterna (för alla åldersgrupper) påverkasinte av denna åldersuppdelning. Förutom dödlighet har vi beräknat"sjukdoms- och skadebördan" med s.k. DALY (Disability Adjusted LifeYears), utgående från det beräknade antalet dödsfall i varje beräkningskategorioch de kvoter mellan sjuklighet och dödlighet som tidigare haruppskattats för olika diagnoser i den svenska befolkningen Sjukdomsbördaninkluderar i princip hälsoeffekter uppmätta som inläggningar på sjukhus ochfall av sjukersättning.DALY är ett mått som utvecklats för Världshälsoorganisationen (WHO) ochVärldsbanken under 1990-talet. Det sammanfattar antalet hälsosamma årsom förloras p.g.a. sjuklighet och dödlighet under ett år i en specifik befolkning,jämfört med antalet hälsosamma levnadsår som denna befolkning hadekunnat åtnjuta om den haft samma livslängd och hälsonivå som ett land medoptimal hälsa. Det senare baserades på det land i världen som har denlängsta livslängden, Japan. DALY är en kombination av YLL (Years of LifeLost) orsakad av dödlighet och YLD (Years Lived with Disability) orsakadav sjuklighet och invaliditet. Hög DALY per person innebär sämre hälsa ien befolkning än låg DALY.I vissa fall ges olika ”vikt” till förlorade levnadsår i olika åldrar, och framtidaförlorade hälsosamma levnadsår kan också diskonteras till lägre värden.I vår beräkning har ingen viktning eller diskontering använts, i likhet medtidigare DALY-beräkningar för Sverige.TrafikolyckorSkador i samband med trafikolyckor beskrivs i detalj i tillgänglig statistikför dödsfall, skadefall och sjukhusfall, men för sjukpenning och sjukersättningvar vi tvungna att göra en uppskattning, eftersom Försäkringskassansegen statistikdatabas inte kodar skador efter orsak. En svensk studie fann att7 % av trafikolycksfall som vårdats på sjukhus fick långvariga men somkunde leda till sjukersättning på grund av trafikolycksskadan. Vi användeden siffran för att beräkna det årliga antalet sjukersättningar.LuftföroreningarEffekter av luftföroreningar från motorfordon har relaterats till PM10, PM2,5och NO2 som indikatorer av exponering. Alla dessa föroreningar är komponenterav luften i städer p.g.a. emissioner från motorfordon och de är oftastarkt korrelerade vid olika tidpunkter inom en stad. Ett stort antal epidemiologiskastudier har visat att dödlighet i "icke-skador" (eller ”sjukdödlighet”)och sjukhusvård för hjärt- och lungsjukdomar ökar efter kort tids(dygn) eller lång tids (år) exponering för luftpartiklar (PM10, eller PM2,5)eller NO2 från motorfordon. Liknande effekter har rapporterats associerademed marknära ozon, som är en produkt av NO2 och solljus. Studier av korttidsexponeringoch effekter har begränsat värde när det gäller att utvärderaden verkliga folkhälsoeffekten, eftersom korttidseffekter kan tänkas bli
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| 23. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
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Environmental health
- 2012
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Ingår i: Global Health, 3rd edition. - Boston : Jones and Bartlett Publishers. ; , s. 481-537
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)
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| 24. |
- Kjellström, Tord
(författare)
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Impact of Climate Conditions on Occupational Health and Related Economic Losses: A New Feature of Global and Urban Health in the Context of Climate Change.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1941-2479 .- 1010-5395.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One feature of climate change is the increasing heat exposure in many workplaces where efficient cooling systems cannot be applied. Excessive heat exposure is a particular problem for working people because of the internal heat production when muscle work is carried out. The physiological basis for severe heat stroke, other clinical effects, and heat exhaustion is well known. One feature of this health effect of excessive workplace heat exposure is reduced work capacity, and new research has started to quantify this effect in the context of climate change. Current climate conditions in tropical and subtropical parts of the world are already so hot during the hot seasons that occupational health effects occur and work capacity for many working people is affected. The Hothaps-Soft database and software and ClimateCHIP.org website make it possible to rapidly produce estimates of local heat conditions and trends. The results can be mapped to depict the spatial distribution of workplace heat stress. In South-East Asia as much as 15% to 20% of annual work hours may already be lost in heat-exposed jobs, and this may double by 2050 as global climate change progresses. By combining heat exposure data and estimates of the economic consequences, the vulnerability of many low- and middle-income countries is evident. The annual cost of reduced labor productivity at country level already in 2030 can be several percent of GDP, which means billions of US dollars even for medium-size countries. The results provide new arguments for effective climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and preventive actions in all countries.
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| 25. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
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Mapping Occupational Heat Exposure and Effects in South-East Asia : Ongoing Time Trends 1980-2011 and Future Estimates to 2050
- 2013
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Ingår i: Industrial Health. - : National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, Japan. - 0019-8366 .- 1880-8026. ; 51:1, s. 56-67
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A feature of climate impacts on occupational health and safety are physiological limits to carrying out physical work at high heat exposure. Heat stress reduces a workers work capacity, leading to lower hourly labour productivity and economic output. We used existing weather station data and climate modeling grid cell data to describe heat conditions (calculated as Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, WBGT) in South-East Asia. During the hottest month in this region (March) afternoon WBGT levels are already high enough to cause major loss of hourly work capacity and by 2050 the situation will be extreme for many outdoor jobs.
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| 26. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
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Occupational health and safety impacts of climate conditions
- 2013
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Ingår i: Climate vulnerability. - : Academic Press. - 9780123847041 ; , s. 145-156
-
Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate conditions in workplaces are occupational health hazards that need to be taken into account when assessing population vulnerability to climate conditions and climate changes. Very cold as well as very hot work environments can create thermal stress beyond what human physiology can cope with. All human populations have a normal core body temperature in the range 36-37 °C, and even a few degrees higher or lower body temperature, due to surrounding climate conditions, can lead to serious health effects. Intrabody heat production creates vulnerability among people doing heavy physical labor. Increasing air temperature or humidity creates new workplace risks from heat stress, particularly in already hot locations, as temperature or humidity increases. This chapter describes this occupational health problem in some detail and also refers to other climate-related health risks that may occur in particular occupation groups.
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| 27. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
-
The 'Hothaps' programme for assessing climate change impacts on occupational health and productivity : an invitation to carry out field studies
- 2009
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Co-action publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 2, s. 81-87
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The 'high occupational temperature health and productivity suppression' programme (Hothaps) is a multi-centre health research and prevention programme aimed at quantifying the extent to which working people are affected by, or adapt to, heat exposure while working, and how global heating during climate change may increase such effects. The programme will produce essential new evidence for local, national and global assessment of negative impacts of climate change that have largely been overlooked. It will also identify and evaluate preventive interventions in different social and economic settings.Hothaps includes studies in any part of the world where hourly heat exposure exceeds physiological stress limits that may affect workers. This usually happens at temperatures above 25 degrees C, depending on humidity, wind movement and heat radiation. Working people in low and middle-income tropical countries are particularly vulnerable, because many of them are involved in heavy physical work, either outdoors in strong sunlight or indoors without effective cooling. If high work intensity is maintained in workplaces with high heat exposure, serious health effects can occur, including heat stroke and death.Depending on the type of occupation, the required work intensity, and the level of heat stress, working people have to slow down their work in order to reduce internal body heat production and the risk of heat stroke. Thus, unless preventive interventions are used to reduce the heat stress on workers, their individual health and productivity will be affected and economic output per work hour will be reduced. Heat also influences other daily physical activities, unrelated to work, in all age groups. Poorer people without access to household or workplace cooling devices are most likely to be affected.The Hothaps programme includes a pilot study, heat monitoring of selected workplaces, qualitative studies of perceived heat impacts and preventative interventions, quantitative studies of impacts on health and productivity, and assessments of local impacts of climate change taking into account different applications of preventative interventions.Fundraising for the global programme is in progress and has enabled local field studies to start in 2009. Local funding support is also of great value and is being sought by several interested scientific partners. The Hothaps team welcomes independent use of the study protocols, but would be grateful for information about any planned, ongoing or completed studies of this type. Coordinated implementation of the protocols in multi-centre studies is also welcome. Eventually, the results of the Hothaps field studies will be used in global assessments of climate change-induced heat exposure increase in workplaces and its impacts on occupational health and productivity. These results will also be of value for the next assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2013.
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| 28. |
- Kjellström, Tord, et al.
(författare)
-
Workplace heat stress, health and productivity
- 2009
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - 1654-9880. ; 2, s. 1-6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Global climate change is already increasing the average temperature and direct heat exposure in many places around the world. Objectives: To assess the potential impact on occupational health and work capacity for people exposed at work to increasing heat due to climate change. Design: A brief review of basic thermal physiology mechanisms, occupational heat exposure guidelines and heat exposure changes in selected cities. Results: In countries with very hot seasons, workers are already affected by working environments hotter than that with which human physiological mechanisms can cope. To protect workers from excessive heat, a number of heat exposure indices have been developed. One that is commonly used in occupational health is the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). We use WBGT to illustrate assessing the proportion of a working hour during which a worker can sustain work and the proportion of that same working hour that (s)he needs to rest to cool the body down and maintain core body temperature below 388C. Using this proportion a ‘work capacity’ estimate was calculated for selected heat exposure levels and work intensity levels. The work capacity rapidly reduces as the WBGT exceeds 26
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Lemke, Bruno, et al.
(författare)
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Calculating workplace WBGT from meteorological data : a tool for climate change assessment
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Industrial Health. - 0019-8366 .- 1880-8026. ; 50:4, s. 267-278
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The WBGT heat stress index has been well tested under a variety of climatic conditions and quantitative links have been established between WBGT and the work-rest cycles needed to prevent heat stress effects at the workplace. While there are more specific methods based on individual physiological measurements to determine heat strain in an individual worker, the WBGT index is used in international and national standards to specify workplace heat stress risks. In order to assess time trends of occupational heat exposure at population level, weather station records or climate modelling are the most widely available data sources. The prescribed method to measure WBGT requires special equipment which is not used at weather stations. We compared published methods to calculate outdoor and indoor WBGT from standard climate data, such as air temperature, dew point temperature, wind speed and solar radiation. Specific criteria for recommending a method were developed and original measurements were used to evaluate the different methods. We recommend the method of Liljegren et al. (2008) for calculating outdoor WBGT and the method by Bernard etal. (1999) for indoor WBGT when estimating climate change impacts on occupational heat stress at a population level.
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| 32. |
- Lundgren Kownacki, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Sustainability Challenges from Climate Change and Air Conditioning Use in Urban Areas
- 2013
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Ingår i: Sustainability. - : MDPI AG. - 2071-1050. ; 5:7, s. 3116-3128
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Global climate change increases heat loads in urban areas causing health and productivity risks for millions of people. Inhabitants in tropical and subtropical urban areas are at especial risk due to high population density, already high temperatures, and temperature increases due to climate change. Air conditioning is growing rapidly, especially in South and South-East Asia due to income growth and the need to protect from high heat exposures. Studies have linked increased total hourly electricity use to outdoor temperatures and humidity; modeled future predictions when facing additional heat due to climate change, related air conditioning with increased street level heat and estimated future air conditioning use in major urban areas. However, global and localized studies linking climate variables with air conditioning alone are lacking. More research and detailed data is needed looking at the effects of increasing air conditioning use, electricity consumption, climate change and interactions with the urban heat island effect. Climate change mitigation, for example using renewable energy sources, particularly photovoltaic electricity generation, to power air conditioning, and other sustainable methods to reduce heat exposure are needed to make future urban areas more climate resilient.
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Nilsson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
-
Climate change impacts on working people : how to develop prevention policies
- 2010
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : CoAction Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The evidence on negative consequences from climate change on human health and well-being is growing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) described climate change as a threat to the climate system that sets the basis for life and human health conditions. The changing climate is expected to affect basic requirements needed to support and sustain human health such as good food, clean water, and unpolluted air, with negative effects that are expected to be unequally distributed.
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
- Sahu, Subhashis, et al.
(författare)
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Heat Exposure, Cardiovascular Stress and Work Productivity in Rice Harvesters in India : Implications for a Climate Change Future
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Industrial Health. - 0019-8366 .- 1880-8026. ; 51:4, s. 424-431
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Excessive workplace heat exposures create well-known risks of heat stroke, and it limits the workers' capacity to sustain physical activity. There is very limited evidence available on how these effects reduce work productivity, while the quantitative relationship between heat and work productivity is an essential basis for climate change impact assessments. We measured hourly heat exposure in rice fields in West Bengal and recorded perceived health problems via interviews of 124 rice harvesters. In a sub-group (n = 48) heart rate was recorded every minute in a standard work situation. Work productivity was recorded as hourly rice bundle collection output. The hourly heat levels (WBGT = Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) were 26-32 degrees C (at air temperatures of 30-38 degrees C), exceeding international standards. Most workers reported exhaustion and pain during work on hot days. Heart rate recovered quickly at low heat, but more slowly at high heat, indicating cardiovascular strain. The hourly number of rice bundles collected was significantly reduced at WBGT>26 degrees C (approximately 5% per C of increased WBGT). We conclude that high heat exposure in agriculture caused heat strain and reduced work productivity. This reduction will be exacerbated by climate change and may undermine the local economy.
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Sheffield, Perry E., et al.
(författare)
-
Current and Future Heat Stress in Nicaraguan Work Places under a Changing Climate
- 2013
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Ingår i: Industrial Health. - : National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, Japan. - 0019-8366 .- 1880-8026. ; 51:1, s. 123-127
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- While climate change continues to increase ambient temperatures, the resulting heat stress exposure to workers in non-climate controlled settings is not well characterized, particularly in low and middle income countries. This preliminary report describes current heat stress in Nicaraguan work places and estimates occupational heat stress in 2050. From over 400 measurements of heat exposure using wet bulb globe temperature, more than 10% of all measurements exceeded the safety threshold for the combination of light work and rest at the ratio of 25:75. By 2050, that percentage of "over-heated" days is projected to increase to over 15%. These findings support the idea that common working conditions in Nicaragua already represent a threat to the health and safety of the workers and that climate change driven trends could mean either a necessary curbing of economic productivity or an increased threat to worker health and safety.
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| 39. |
- Smith, Kirk R., et al.
(författare)
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Energy and human health
- 2013
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Ingår i: Annual review of public health (Print). - : ANNUAL REVIEWS. - 0163-7525 .- 1545-2093. ; 34, s. 159-188
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Energy use is central to human society and provides many health benefits. But each source of energy entails some health risks. This article reviews the health impacts of each major source of energy, focusing on those with major implications for the burden of disease globally. The biggest health impacts accrue to the harvesting and burning of solid fuels, coal and biomass, mainly in the form of occupational health risks and household and general ambient air pollution. Lack of access to clean fuels and electricity in the world's poor households is a particularly serious risk for health. Although energy efficiency brings many benefits, it also entails some health risks, as do renewable energy systems, if not managed carefully. We do not review health impacts of climate change itself, which are due mostly to climate-altering pollutants from energy systems, but do discuss the potential for achieving near-term health cobenefits by reducing certain climate-related emissions.
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| 40. |
- Tawatsupa, Benjawan, et al.
(författare)
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Association between Heat Stress and Occupational Injury among Thai Workers : Findings of the Thai Cohort Study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Industrial Health. - : National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, Japan. - 0019-8366 .- 1880-8026. ; 51:1, s. 34-46
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Global warming will increase heat stress at home and at work. Few studies have addressed the health consequences in tropical low and middle income settings such as Thailand. We report on the association between heat stress and workplace injury among workers enrolled in the large national Thai Cohort Study in 2005 (N=58,495). We used logistic regression to relate heat stress and occupational injury separately for males and females, adjusting for covariate effects of age, income, education, alcohol, smoking, Body Mass Index, job location, job type, sleeping hours, existing illness, and having to work very fast. Nearly 20% of workers experienced occupational heat stress which strongly and significantly associated with occupational injury (adjusted OR 2.12, 95%CI 1.87-2.42 for males and 1.89, 95%CI 1.64-2.18 for females). This study provides evidence connecting heat stress and occupational injury in tropical Thailand and also identifies several factors that increase heat exposure. The findings will be useful for policy makers to consider work-related heat stress problems in tropical Thailand and to develop an occupational health and safety program which is urgently needed given the looming threat of global warming.
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| 41. |
- Tawatsupa, Benjawan, et al.
(författare)
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Association between occupational heat stress and kidney disease among 37 816 workers in the Thai Cohort Study (TCS)
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Epidemiology. - : Japan Epidemiological Association. - 0917-5040 .- 1349-9092. ; 22:3, s. 251-260
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: We examined the relationship between self-reported occupational heat stress and incidence of self-reported doctor-diagnosed kidney disease in Thai workers.Methods: Data were derived from baseline (2005) and follow-up (2009) self-report questionnaires from a large national Thai Cohort Study (TCS). Analysis was restricted to full-time workers (n = 17 402 men and 20 414 women) without known kidney disease at baseline. We used logistic regression models to examine the association of incident kidney disease with heat stress at work, after adjustment for smoking, alcohol drinking, body mass index, and a large number of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.Results: Exposure to heat stress was more common in men than in women (22% vs 15%). A significant association between heat stress and incident kidney disease was observed in men (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.01-2.16). The risk of kidney disease was higher among workers reporting workplace heat stress in both 2005 and 2009. Among men exposed to prolonged heat stress, the odds of developing kidney disease was 2.22 times that of men without such exposure (95% CI 1.48-3.35, P-trend <0.001). The incidence of kidney disease was even higher among men aged 35 years or older in a physical job: 2.2% exposed to prolonged heat stress developed kidney disease compared with 0.4% with no heat exposure (adjusted OR = 5.30, 95% CI 1.17-24.13).Conclusions: There is an association between self-reported occupational heat stress and self-reported doctor-diagnosed kidney disease in Thailand. The results indicate a need for occupational health interventions for heat stress among workers in tropical climates.
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| 42. |
- Tawatsupa, Benjawan, et al.
(författare)
-
Heat stress, health and well-being : findings from a large national cohort of Thai adults
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055. ; 2:6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the association between self-reported heat stress interference with daily activities (sleeping, work, travel, housework and exercise) and three graded-holistic health and well-being outcomes (energy, emotions and life satisfaction).DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.SETTING: The setting is tropical and developing countries as Thailand, where high temperature and high humidity are common, particularly during the hottest seasons.PARTICIPANTS: This study is based on an ongoing national Thai Cohort Study of distance-learning open-university adult students (N=60 569) established in 2005 to study the health-risk transition. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Health impacts from heat stress in our study are categorised as physical health impacts (energy levels), mental health impacts (emotions) and well-being (life satisfaction). For each health and well-being outcome we report ORs and 95% CIs using multinomial logistic regression adjusting for a wide array of potential confounders.RESULTS: Negative health and well-being outcomes (low-energy level, emotional problems and low life satisfaction) associated with increasing frequency of heat stress interfering with daily activities. Adjusted ORs for emotional problems were between 1.5 and 4.8 and in general worse than energy level (between 1.31 and 2.91) and life satisfaction (between 1.10 and 2.49). The worst health outcomes were when heat interfered with sleeping, followed by interference with daily travel, work, housework and exercise.CONCLUSIONS: In tropical Thailand there already are substantial heat stress impacts on health and well-being. Increasing temperatures from climate change plus the ageing and urbanisation of the population could significantly worsen the situation. There is a need to improve public health surveillance and public awareness regarding the risks of heat stress in daily life.
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| 43. |
- Tawatsupa, Benjawan, et al.
(författare)
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The association between overall health, psychological distress, and occupational heat stress among a large national cohort of 40,913 Thai workers
- 2010
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Ingår i: Global health action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9880 .- 1654-9716. ; 3
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Occupational heat stress is a well-known problem, particularly in tropical countries, affecting workers, health and well-being. There are very few recent studies that have reported on the effect of heat stress on mental health, or overall health in workers, although socioeconomic development and rapid urbanization in tropical developing countries like Thailand create working conditions in which heat stress is likely. Objective: This study is aimed at identifying the relationship between self-reported heat stress and psychological distress, and overall health status in Thai workers. Results: 18% of our large national cohort (>40,000 subjects) often works under heat stress conditions and males are exposed to heat stress more often than females. Furthermore, working under heat stress conditions is associated with both worse overall health and psychological distress (adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.49 to 1.84). Conclusions: This association between occupational heat stress and worse health needs more public health attention and further development on occupational health interventions as climate change increases Thailand’s temperatures.
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| 44. |
- Tawatsupa, Benjawan, et al.
(författare)
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The association between temperature and mortality in tropical middle income Thailand from 1999 to 2008
- 2014
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Ingår i: International journal of biometeorology. - : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 0020-7128 .- 1432-1254. ; 58:2, s. 203-215
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have investigated the association between tropical weather condition and age-sex adjusted death rates (ADR) in Thailand over a 10-year period from 1999 to 2008. Population, mortality, weather and air pollution data were obtained from four national databases. Alternating multivariable fractional polynomial (MFP) regression and stepwise multivariable linear regression analysis were used to sequentially build models of the associations between temperature variable and deaths, adjusted for the effects and interactions of age, sex, weather (6 variables), and air pollution (10 variables). The associations are explored and compared among three seasons (cold, hot and wet months) and four weather zones of Thailand (the North, Northeast, Central, and South regions). We found statistically significant associations between temperature and mortality in Thailand. The maximum temperature is the most important variable in predicting mortality. Overall, the association is nonlinear U-shape and 31 A degrees C is the minimum-mortality temperature in Thailand. The death rates increase when maximum temperature increase with the highest rates in the North and Central during hot months. The final equation used in this study allowed estimation of the impact of a 4 A degrees C increase in temperature as projected for Thailand by 2100; this analysis revealed that the heat-related deaths will increase more than the cold-related deaths avoided in the hot and wet months, and overall the net increase in expected mortality by region ranges from 5 to 13 % unless preventive measures were adopted. Overall, these results are useful for health impact assessment for the present situation and future public health implication of global climate change for tropical Thailand.
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| 45. |
- Zander, Kerstin K., et al.
(författare)
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Heat stress causes substantial labour productivity loss in Australia
- 2015
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Ingår i: Nature Climate Change. - 1758-6798. ; 5:7, s. 647-651
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heat stress at the workplace is an occupational health hazard that reduces labour productivity(1). Assessment of productivity loss resulting from climate change has so far been based on physiological models of heat exposure(1). These models suggest productivity may decrease by 11-27% by 2080 in hot regions such as Asia and the Caribbean(2), and globally by up to 20% in hot months by 2050(3). Using an approach derived from health economics, we describe self-reported estimates of work absenteeism and reductions in work performance caused by heat in Australia during 2013/201(4). We found that the annual costs were US$655 per person across a representative sample of 1,726 employed Australians. This represents an annual economic burden of around US$6.2 billion (95% CI: 5.2-7.3 billion) for the Australian workforce. This amounts to 0.33 to 0.47% of Australias GDP. Although this was a period when many Australians experienced what is at present considered exceptional heat(4), our results suggest that adaptation measures to reduce heat effects should be adopted widely if severe economic impacts from labour productivity loss are to be avoided if heat waves become as frequent as predicted.
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