Abstract
Introduction: Heat-related illness and heat-mortality prevention measures have received more attention in recent years, especially as the high ambient temperature is projected to continue as a result of global warming. Outdoor workers are the most vulnerable to heat stress and are more prone to accidental occupational injuries which can lead to loss of productivity and economic encumbrance. This study aims to identify the heat stress symptoms, risk factors for heat-related illnesses, and heat strain risk among municipal workers in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the municipal workers under the Kota Kinabalu City Council. The participants, who included the sweepers, rubbish collectors, and enforcement officers were recruited via simple random sampling. Workers who were exposed to heat during their eight-hour shift were included while workers with underlying heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and on long-term medications were excluded. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires which included personal characteristics, medical, and work information. Heat Strain Score Index was used to determine the heat strain risk. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.28 f. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained prior to the study. Results: A total of 301 municipal workers participated in the study but eight questionnaires were excluded due to incompleteness. Out of 293 data analyzed, majority (72.4%) were male workers, age group less than 40 years old (52.9%), 89.4% had at least education up to lower secondary, 64.5% earned less than RM2000 monthly, 76.1% were either overweight or obese, 35.5% were current smokers, 25.6% consumed alcohol and 18.1% of the workers were with underlying co-morbids. 54.3% were exposed to more than 4hours in hot environment per shift. 40% of the workers had worked for more than 10 years in the current job tasks. 76.1% of the workers reported at least one symptom of heat stress with the highest being muscle ache (49.5%), followed by mild headache (43.7%), weakness (40.3%), dizziness (21.8%), and red acne appearance (8.2%) and lower concentration (3.4%). Heat strain risk based on HSSI revealed that 39.6% of the workers had potential risk of heat-induced illnesses and 19.8% were very likely to have heat-induced illnesses if no control or preventive measures are taken. Significant risk factors included female workers (?2= 17.87,p<0.001) and workers who were either single, divorced, or widowed (?2= 8.87
Links
- https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-28.pdf
- https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-6-ballroom-C/
BibTeX (Download)
@proceedings{APCPH2022-O-28,
title = {Heat Stress Symptoms, Risk Factors for Heat-Related Illnesses, and Heat Strain Risk Among Municipal Workers in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah},
author = {Mei Ching Lim and Khamisah Awang Lukman and Nelbon Giloi and Mohammad Saffree Jeffree and Saihpudin @ Sahipudin Saupin and Zulkhairul Naim Sidek and Mohd Nazri Mohd Daud},
url = {https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-28.pdf
https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-6-ballroom-C/},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-08-01},
urldate = {2022-08-02},
issue = {7},
abstract = {Introduction: Heat-related illness and heat-mortality prevention measures have received more attention in recent years, especially as the high ambient temperature is projected to continue as a result of global warming. Outdoor workers are the most vulnerable to heat stress and are more prone to accidental occupational injuries which can lead to loss of productivity and economic encumbrance. This study aims to identify the heat stress symptoms, risk factors for heat-related illnesses, and heat strain risk among municipal workers in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the municipal workers under the Kota Kinabalu City Council. The participants, who included the sweepers, rubbish collectors, and enforcement officers were recruited via simple random sampling. Workers who were exposed to heat during their eight-hour shift were included while workers with underlying heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and on long-term medications were excluded. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires which included personal characteristics, medical, and work information. Heat Strain Score Index was used to determine the heat strain risk. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.28 f. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained prior to the study. Results: A total of 301 municipal workers participated in the study but eight questionnaires were excluded due to incompleteness. Out of 293 data analyzed, majority (72.4%) were male workers, age group less than 40 years old (52.9%), 89.4% had at least education up to lower secondary, 64.5% earned less than RM2000 monthly, 76.1% were either overweight or obese, 35.5% were current smokers, 25.6% consumed alcohol and 18.1% of the workers were with underlying co-morbids. 54.3% were exposed to more than 4hours in hot environment per shift. 40% of the workers had worked for more than 10 years in the current job tasks. 76.1% of the workers reported at least one symptom of heat stress with the highest being muscle ache (49.5%), followed by mild headache (43.7%), weakness (40.3%), dizziness (21.8%), and red acne appearance (8.2%) and lower concentration (3.4%). Heat strain risk based on HSSI revealed that 39.6% of the workers had potential risk of heat-induced illnesses and 19.8% were very likely to have heat-induced illnesses if no control or preventive measures are taken. Significant risk factors included female workers (?2= 17.87,p\<0.001) and workers who were either single, divorced, or widowed (?2= 8.87},
howpublished = {published online at https://apcph.cphm.my},
note = {Type: ORAL PRESENTATION; Organisation: Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia; Centre for Occupational Safety \& Health, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; Family Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia},
keywords = {Administrative and personal preventive measures; Heat-related illnesses; Heat Strain Score Index; Heat stress symptoms; Municipal workers},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}