scholarly journals Heat Waves Occurrence and Outdoor Workers’ Self-assessment of Heat Stress in Slovenia and Greece

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tjaša Pogačar ◽  
Zala Žnidaršič ◽  
Lučka Kajfež Bogataj ◽  
Andreas Flouris ◽  
Konstantina Poulianiti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Excessive Sweating ◽  
Outdoor Workers ◽  
Changing Patterns ◽  
Educational Campaigns

Changing patterns of heat waves are part of the global warming effect and the importance of changes is reinforced by their negative impact on society. Firstly, heat waves were analyzed in Brnik (Slovenia) and Larisa (Greece) in the period 1981–2017 to reflect the environment which workers are exposed to. Secondly, outdoor workers (70 from Greece, 216 from Slovenia) provided a self-assessment of heat stress. The heat wave timeline is presented as an effective way of illustrating long-term changes in heat waves’ characteristics for various stakeholders. In both countries, workers assessed as significant the heat stress impact on productivity (Greece 69%, Slovenia 71%; p > 0.05), and in Slovenia also on well-being (74%; p < 0.01). The main experienced symptoms and diseases were thirst (Greece 70%, Slovenia 82%; p = 0.03), excessive sweating (67%, 85%; p = 0.01), exhaustion (51%, 62%; p > 0.05) and headache (44%, 53%; p > 0.05). The most common way to reduce heat stress was drinking more water (Greece 64%, Slovenia 82%; p = 0.001). Among the informed workers, the prevalent source of information was discussions. Therefore, educational campaigns are recommended, together with the testing of the efficiency of mitigation measures that will be proposed on the Heat-Shield project portal.

scholarly journals Comprehension of climatic and occupational heat stress amongst agricultural advisers and workers in Slovenia

2017 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tjaša POGAČAR ◽  
Zalika ČREPINŠEK ◽  
Lučka KAJFEŽ BOGATAJ ◽  
Lars NYBO
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Excessive Sweating ◽  
Behavioral Adaptations ◽  
Feasible Solutions

<p>Climate changes and the associated higher frequency of heat waves in Middle-European countries will aggravate occupational heat stress experienced by Slovenian workers. Appropriate behavioral adaptations are important coping strategies and it is pertinent to establish if knowledge among advisers and workers is sufficient and identify the symptoms experienced by workers. Therefore a survey including 230 farmers and 86 agricultural advisers was completed. Thermal comfort ranged from hot to extremely hot for 85 ± 5 % of farmers working outside and heat stress had a negative impact on well-being (74 ± 6 %), productivity (68 ± 6 %) and concentration (34 ± 6 %). Reported symptoms were excessive sweating (84 ± 5 %), thirst (81 ± 5 %), and tiredness (59 ± 6 %). Women had a higher prevalence of headache (64 ± 10 %) compared to males (47 ± 8 %), higher frequency of fatigue (69 ± 10 vs 56 ± 8 %), and incidents with nausea or vomiting (19 ± 8 vs 9 ± 5 %). 81 ± 4 % of the responders reported that more time is required to complete tasks when the weather is hot. Nevertheless, 61 ± 6 % of farmers have never been informed of the impacts of heat stress and 29 ± 10 % of the agricultural advisers does not include this information in their guidance. This emphasizes the need for increased information and implementation of feasible solutions to mitigate the negative impact of heat stress on workers in the agricultural sector.</p>

Evaluation of Physical and Psychosocial Well-Being of Personnel: Employees’ Self-Feeling and Presenteeism at Work

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 14-19
Author(s):  
M. Frelih ◽  
A. Fedorova
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Data ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Metallurgical Enterprise ◽  
Digital Service ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
The Impact

The article is devoted to the study of factors that have a negative impact on the well-being of employees in the workplace. Special attention is paid to the problem of presenteeism on the example of a large metallurgical enterprise. A review of foreign and domestic publications allows concluding that until now specialists do not have reliable and valid tools for studying the presenteeism phenomenon in organizations. The purpose of the research presented in the paper is to examine influence of the factors of the intra-organizational environment on the personnel well-being and assess the level of presenteeism at the enterprise. Empirical data were obtained by conducting a sociological survey of various categories of workers, as well as assessing the impact of presenteeism on the economic indicators of the studied enterprise. For the subsequent in-depth study of health problems in the workplace, the authors have developed a research tool based on the use of a digital service, which allows monitoring the self-feeling of employees by the self-assessment method, which determines the level of physical and psychosocial well-being of staff.

scholarly journals Heat Stress in Indoor Environments of Scandinavian Urban Areas: A Literature Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Lundgren Kownacki ◽  
Chuansi Gao ◽  
Kalev Kuklane ◽  
Aneta Wierzbicka
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Heat Index ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Heat Radiation ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Promising Alternative

Climate change increases the risks of heat stress, especially in urban areas where urban heat islands can develop. This literature review aims to describe how severe heat can occur and be identified in urban indoor environments, and what actions can be taken on the local scale. There is a connection between the outdoor and the indoor climate in buildings without air conditioning, but the pathways leading to the development of severe heat levels indoors are complex. These depend, for example, on the type of building, window placement, the residential area’s thermal outdoor conditions, and the residents’ influence and behavior. This review shows that only few studies have focused on the thermal environment indoors during heat waves, despite the fact that people commonly spend most of their time indoors and are likely to experience increased heat stress indoors in the future. Among reviewed studies, it was found that the indoor temperature can reach levels 50% higher in °C than the outdoor temperature, which highlights the importance of assessment and remediation of heat indoors. Further, most Heat-Health Warning Systems (HHWS) are based on the outdoor climate only, which can lead to a misleading interpretation of the health effects and associated solutions. In order to identify severe heat, six factors need to be taken into account, including air temperature, heat radiation, humidity, and air movement as well as the physical activity and the clothes worn by the individual. Heat stress can be identified using a heat index that includes these six factors. This paper presents some examples of practical and easy to use heat indices that are relevant for indoor environments as well as models that can be applied in indoor environments at the city level. However, existing indexes are developed for healthy workers and do not account for vulnerable groups, different uses, and daily variations. As a result, this paper highlights the need for the development of a heat index or the adjustment of current thresholds to apply specifically to indoor environments, its different uses, and vulnerable groups. There are several actions that can be taken to reduce heat indoors and thus improve the health and well-being of the population in urban areas. Examples of effective measures to reduce heat stress indoors include the use of shading devices such as blinds and vegetation as well as personal cooling techniques such as the use of fans and cooling vests. Additionally, the integration of innovative Phase Change Materials (PCM) into facades, roofs, floors, and windows can be a promising alternative once no negative health and environmental effects of PCM can be ensured.

scholarly journals Steps Towards Comprehensive Heat Communication in the Frame of a Heat Health Warning System in Slovenia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5829
Author(s):  
Tjaša Pogačar ◽  
Zala Žnidaršič ◽  
Lučka Kajfež Bogataj ◽  
Zalika Črepinšek
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Health Warning ◽  
Health Measures

Occupational heat stress has an important negative impact on the well-being, health and productivity of workers and should; therefore, be recognized as a public health issue in Europe. There is no comprehensive heat health warning system in Slovenia combining public health measures with meteorological forecasts. The aim of this research was to provide insight into the development of such a system in Slovenia, turning the communication from the current meteoalarm into a broader system that has more information for different social groups. To achieve this goal, the following steps were used: Analysis of summer temperatures and issued meteoalarms, a survey of the general knowledge about heat among the public, organization and management of two stakeholder symposia, and a final survey on workers’ opinions on heat stress and measures, supplemented by interviews with employers. Summer average daily temperature distributions in Slovenia changed during the investigated period (1961–2019) and the mean values increased over time by 2–3 °C. Additionally, the number of days with fulfilled yellow (potentially dangerous) and especially orange (dangerous) meteoalarm conditions increased significantly after 1990. The survey of the general public about heat stress and warnings showed that efforts to raise awareness of heat issues need to be intensified and that public health measures should effectively target vulnerable groups. Stakeholder symposia and further surveys have shown that awareness and understanding of the negative effects of heat stress on health and productivity are still quite low, so effective ways of disseminating information to different sectors while striking the best balance between efficiency, feasibility and economic cost have to be found.

scholarly journals The Womb Wanders Not: Enhancing Endometriosis Education in a Culture of Menstrual Misinformation

2020 ◽  
pp. 269-286
Author(s):  
Heather C. Guidone
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Menstrual Health ◽  
Educational Campaigns ◽  
Diagnostic Delays

Abstract Embedded in the centuries-old assertion that the womb was a nomadic entity wandering about the body causing hysteria and distress, persistent menstrual misinformation and misconceptions remain prevalent wherein pain disorders like endometriosis are concerned. Affecting an estimated 176 million individuals worldwide, endometriosis is a major cause of non-menstrual pain, dyspareunia, painful menses and reduced quality of life among individuals of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds. Wide-ranging symptoms may be dismissed as routine by both patients and practitioners alike due to lack of disease literacy, and lengthy diagnostic delays can exacerbate the negative impact of endometriosis on the physical, psychological, emotional and social well-being of those affected. This chapter identifies some of these challenges and explores how obstacles to best practice can be reduced in part through adoption of early educational campaigns which incorporate endometriosis as a major component of menstrual health education.

scholarly journals 54 The Heat is On: Heat stress induces radical changes in skeletal muscle

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 58-58
Author(s):  
Josh Selsby ◽  
Shanthi Ganesan ◽  
Robert Rhoads ◽  
Lance H Baumgard
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Antioxidant Systems ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Mitochondrial Injury ◽  
Environmental Models

Abstract Heat stress continues to undermine efficient meat production and meat quality. It also jeopardizes human and animal health and wellbeing, regionalizes animal production, and threatens food security. Environmental models predict more frequent and severe heat waves, even in areas previously considered temperate indicating this problem will continue to have a progressively expanding, deleterious impact on agricultural productivity. Despite the broad, negative impact of heat stress little is known about underlying mechanisms leading to phenotypic outcomes. Because of its mass and energetic demands, skeletal muscle contributes greatly to regulation of systemic metabolism. We have discovered heat stress causes robust but transient oxidative stress and activation of apoptotic signaling in skeletal muscle in as little as two hours. Interestingly, these declined linearly through six hours concomitant with markers of increased autophagy and mitophagy, which would facilitate the removal of damaged mitochondria. Continued heating through 24 h causes a resumption of oxidative stress and autophagic dysfunction with an accumulation of autophagosomes and mitochondria. As mitochondrial injury and autophagic dysregulation appear to be key mediators of hyperthermic muscle dysfunction we propose a model that posits progressive mitochondrial injury leads to production of free radicals that overwhelms antioxidant systems and impairs autophagy facilitating accumulation of damaged, pro-oxidant mitochondria. Ultimately, these aforementioned changes may reduce efficient protein accretion. Our current work is focused on stimulating autophagy and protecting mitochondria during heat stress in an effort to maintain efficient muscle growth.

scholarly journals Compared to Australian Cultivars, European Summer Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Overreacts When Moderate Heat Stress Is Applied at the Pollen Development Stage

Agronomy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Begcy ◽  
Anna Weigert ◽  
Andrew Egesa ◽  
Thomas Dresselhaus
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Pollen Viability ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Gene Expression Pattern ◽  
Type A ◽  
Transcriptional Level ◽  
The Impact

Heat stress frequently imposes a strong negative impact on vegetative and reproductive development of plants leading to severe yield losses. Wheat, a major temperate crop, is more prone to suffer from increased temperatures than most other major crops. With heat waves becoming more intense and frequent, as a consequence of global warming, a decrease in wheat yield is highly expected. Here, we examined the impact of a short-term (48 h) heat stress on wheat imposed during reproduction at the pollen mitosis stage both, at the physiological and molecular level. We analyzed two sets of summer wheat germplasms from Australia (Kukri, Drysdale, Gladius, and RAC875) and Europe (Epos, Cornetto, Granny, and Chamsin). Heat stress strongly affected gas exchange parameters leading to reduced photosynthetic and transpiration rates in the European cultivars. These effects were less pronounced in Australian cultivars. Pollen viability was also reduced in all European cultivars. At the transcriptional level, the largest group of heat shock factor genes (type A HSFs), which trigger molecular responses as a result of environmental stimuli, showed small variations in gene expression levels in Australian wheat cultivars. In contrast, HSFs in European cultivars, including Epos and Granny, were strongly downregulated and partly even silenced, while the high-yielding variety Chamsin displayed a strong upregulation of type A HSFs. In conclusion, Australian cultivars are well adapted to moderate heat stress compared to European summer wheat. The latter strongly react after heat stress application by downregulating photosynthesis and transpiration rates as well as differentially regulating HSFs gene expression pattern.

scholarly journals Climate Change–Related Heat Stress and Subjective Well-Being in Australia

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin K. Zander ◽  
Simon Moss ◽  
Stephen T. Garnett
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Productivity Loss ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
The Impact

Abstract There is mounting evidence that climate change impacts compromise people’s well-being. Many regions of Australia have experienced record hot temperatures and more frequent and longer heat waves with substantial consequences for people, economies, and ecosystems. Using data from an Australia-wide online survey with 1101 respondents, we investigated the relationship between self-reported measures of heat stress and different dimensions of subjective well-being. After controlling for socioeconomic factors known to affect well-being, we found that heat stress was linked to people’s certainty about and planning for their future but not to their life satisfaction, happiness, social state, capabilities, or purpose in life. This result indicates that, while heat is not associated with present well-being, many people worry about the effect that increased heat will have on their future well-being. People who were uncertain about their future were also more likely than those who did not feel uncertain to think that heat compromised their productivity. People who agreed that they were competent and capable in their activities rated their heat stress–related productivity loss lower than those who disagreed. The findings are relevant for future studies using life-satisfaction approaches to assess consequences of climate change impacts and to studies in “happiness economics.” We recommend that future research on the impact of climate change on well-being go beyond simply life satisfaction and happiness and test multiple dimensions of well-being.

scholarly journals DINÂMICA DAS ALTERAÇÕES NA FUNCIONALIDADE PSIQUÍCA E ACTIVIDADE PSICOSSOCIAL ANTES E DEPOIS DO DIAGNÓSTICO DE DIABETES MELLITUS

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-414
Author(s):  
Fernando Oliveira Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Capacity ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Demographic Questionnaire ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
The Impact

Conciousness is decisive in attributing meanings to the manifestations of life. The impact of diabetes mellitus on patients` psychic and psychosocial functionality depends on the understanding of the disease. Objective: to study the dynamics of changes in psychic and psychosocial functionality in patients with diabetes mellitus, before and after diagnosis. Participants: 50 subjects of both sexes, with diabetes mellitus (30 - 88 years) and 50 subjects with the same socio-demographic characteristics, who do not suffer from the disease. Methodology: Clinical-psychological interview; Socio-demographic questionnaire; Clinical-dynamic disease questionnaire; Self-assessment questionnaire on psychic, family, social and work functionality. Results: Diabetes mellitus patients in the period of life “after diagnosis”, compared to the period “before diagnosis”, show statistically significant differences of greater expressiveness psychic functionality (nervousness, anxiety, irritability, depression, pessimism and fatigue) and lower in psychosocial and work activities (work capacity, availability to socialize with friends and family). In the comparison “before diagnosis” and “current moment” there are significant differences in all categories, but if comparing “after diagnosis” and “current moment”, significant differences only exist in work capacity, fatigue, availability to live together with friends; lower values at the present time. Conclusion: The intrusion of diabetes mellitus and the patient's knowledge of the diagnosis cause changes in the dynamics of psychic functionality and psychosocial activity, aggravating the levels of nervousness, anxiety, irritability, depression, pessimism, feeling of fatigue, less work capacity, availability to socialize with friends and family. Diabetes has a negative impact on the functionality of patients, affecting well-being and quality of life.

scholarly journals Effects of Heat Stress Exposure and Climate Change on Health and Safety of Outdoor Workers

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 836-847
Author(s):  
Tarek Abokhashabah ◽  
Bassem Jamoussi ◽  
Ahmed Saleh Summan ◽  
Ezz Abdelfattah ◽  
Ijaz Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Outdoor Workers

The studies carried in the world regarding the possible significant influence of climate change on the health and safety of outdoor workers has not been given the due consideration (especially in the least developed and developing countries). Hundreds and thousands of outdoor workers are exposed to elevated temperatures, humid environments and climate extremes in combination with urban air pollution; which is ultimately impacting their safety and well-being. The statistics show that in the past few years, due to the rise in temperature on earth and frequent heat waves within urban settlements, an abrupt increase has been observed in the rate of heat-related health problems. Exposure to extreme heat (exceeding 40 ºC)causes many direct and indirect health hazards, which include vector-borne diseases and exposure to certain harmful chemicals. Currently, the climatic and heat-related effects are decreasing the working capacity of workers and in the future it is projected that the frequency and magnitude of these effects will increase. With the rise in temperature and the occurrence of frequent heat waves in urban areas, the number of health issues due to high (maximum average)temperature has increased rapidly. This article discusses the impacts of heat exposure and climatic change on productivity,health and safety of outdoor workers by summarizing findings from the literature, and eventually recommends control measures for reducing heat exposure at the outdoor work areasand climatic adaptations. In addition, it argues that there is a need for more research about the impacts on health and economic conditions due to heat and climate change in the workplace on global level (especially in developing countries).

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