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Challenges in conducting epidemiological field studies evaluating associations between heat stress and renal health among workers in informal sectors: experiences from India.
Venugopal, Vidhya; Lennqvist, Robin; Latha, P K; S, Rekha; Suraya, Anna; Jakobsson, Kristina; Kjellstrom, Tord.
Afiliação
  • Venugopal V; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, India. Electronic address: vvidhya@ehe.org.in.
  • Lennqvist R; Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
  • Latha PK; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, India.
  • S R; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, India.
  • Suraya A; CIHLMU Center for International Health, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
  • Jakobsson K; Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
  • Kjellstrom T; National Center for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia; HEAT-SHIELD Project, Center for Technology Research and Innovation Ltd, (CETRI), Limassol, Cyprus; Health and Environment International Trust, Mapua, New Zealand
Environ Res ; 200: 111343, 2021 09.
Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34015298
ABSTRACT
Well-designed Environmental Epidemiological Studies (EES) play a crucial role in quantifying the influence of environmental exposures and their associated risks on health in the wider population. They provide critical research evidence for identifying and developing interventions to avert adverse health consequences from those exposures. However, uncertainty and variability inherent to any field based EES could hinder the nature and magnitude of association between an exposure and health outcome. This is particularly pronounced in resource limited settings and resource-tight research projects. The present study evaluated the association between occupational heat stress and renal health among informal work sectors in India which had some significant challenges. Informal workers exposed to chronic occupational heat stress had significantly higher adverse renal health outcomes than the unexposed workers. Our field challenges included gaining access and permissions to conduct the study, participant recalls bias and attrition, accurately estimating exposures, confounding from causes of both exposure and disease, and to a large extent tight-funding. Though opportunities are abundant, we must ensure field conditions are optimized to attain study objectives. A keen understanding and sensitivity towards the cultural and work settings is essential for successful project completion. Based on our experiences, we provide strategies to adopt to improve fieldwork and provide recommendations to help overcome the field challenges and achieve better results for future EES studies in developing country settings.
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Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Transtornos de Estresse por Calor / Setor Informal Idioma: En Ano de publicação: 2021 Tipo de documento: Article

Texto completo: 1 Base de dados: MEDLINE Assunto principal: Transtornos de Estresse por Calor / Setor Informal Idioma: En Ano de publicação: 2021 Tipo de documento: Article