Heat Strain Prevention in Elderly Agricultural Workers

Cairo University (CU)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Heat Stroke; Heat Cramps; Heat Exhaustion; Heat Stress Disorders

Treatments: Other: Sustainable Heat Strain Prevention Program for Agricultural Elderly Workers (SHiP-AEW)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06192069

sustenableheat

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study explores a multi-component heat strain prevention program for older agricultural workers in response to climate change. It assesses hydration, rest breaks, reflective clothing, and shade provision. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, it targets 120 elderly workers, evaluating core temperature, heart rate, and heat strain symptoms. The goal is to establish the program's effectiveness in safeguarding worker health and safety amidst increasing temperatures, offering evidence-based recommendations for this vulnerable group and potentially other occupations affected by climate change.

Full description

This intervention study is designed to assess the efficacy of a sustainable heat strain prevention program tailored for elderly agricultural workers. It targets a specific population of 120 workers aged 60 years and above from Manial Shiha village. The study utilizes a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, dividing participants into intervention and control groups.

The core of the study involves a 4-week Sustainable Prevention Program, emphasizing practical and adoptable strategies like adequate hydration, regular rest breaks, the use of lightweight reflective clothing, and the provision of portable shade covers. This program is delivered through interactive methods including lectures, demonstrations, and group discussions, supplemented with educational materials.

Physiological responses to the program will be rigorously measured, employing core temperature sensors and heart rate monitors to provide objective data on the physical impact of the interventions. These measures, along with self-reported symptoms and heat strain levels collected through structured questionnaires, form the basis for a comprehensive evaluation of the program's effectiveness.

The study aims to provide a quantifiable reduction in heat strain indicators, offering insights into the program's potential for broader application in similar vulnerable populations

Enrollment: 120 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60 to 90 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 60 years or older
• Actively working in agricultural occupations (farming, field labor, etc.)
• Available to participate during the 4-week intervention timeline
• Fluent in spoken and written Arabic
• Agree to wear physiological monitoring devices during work

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to provide informed consent
• Cognitive impairments affecting ability to understand and implement program guidelines
• Dependence on supportive equipment like canes or wheelchairs
• Chronic medical conditions expected to worsen with heat exposure (e.g. uncontrolled cardiovascular disease, kidney failure)
• Required regular medications that impair thermoregulation
• Allergies or sensitivities to monitoring devices and their attachments that cannot be mitigated

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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120 participants in 2 patient groups

Sustainable Prevention Program

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive the 4-week Sustainable Prevention Program consisting of lectures, demonstrations, group discussions, and educational materials focused on: Hydration strategies (proper amounts and types of fluids, reminders for intake) Rest breaks (frequency, duration, scheduling) Lightweight reflective clothing Device: Core Temperature Sensor Participants might be equipped with a core temperature sensor to monitor their internal body temperatures. This device will provide continuous, real-time data crucial for understanding the physiological impacts of the prevention strategies and ensuring participant safety. Device: Heart Rate Monitor A heart rate monitor will be used to track the cardiovascular responses of the participants to heat and physical activity. This data is essential to assess the strain on participants' bodies and the effectiveness of the prevention strategies in mitigating stress. Portable shade covers

Treatment:

Other: Sustainable Heat Strain Prevention Program for Agricultural Elderly Workers (SHiP-AEW)

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will receive no intervention and follow their usual workplace heat strain prevention measures such as basic hydration and voluntary rest breaks