Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, P.O. Box 32066,, Boone, NC, 28608, USA.
Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 5448, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA.
Int J Biometeorol. 2018 Aug;62(8):1521-1534. doi: 10.1007/s00484-018-1553-z. Epub 2018 May 25.
Excessive ambient temperature exposure can result in significant morbidity and mortality, especially among vulnerable occupational groups like outdoor workers. Average temperatures in the USA are projected to increase in frequency and intensity, placing future worker populations at greater risk for unhealthy levels of exposure. Unlike previous research focused on aggregate-level temperature exposures from in situ weather station data, this study will measure location-based personal ambient temperatures (PAT) at the individual-level by piloting the use of wearable sensor technology. A total of 66 outdoor workers in three geographically and climatologically diverse regions in the Southeast USA were continuously sampled during the workday for a 1-week period throughout July 11 to August 8 2016. Results indicate significant worker variation in temperature exposure within and between study locations; with PAT characterized by less pronounced variability as workers moved between indoor and outdoor environments. Developed land covers, a factor often associated with higher temperatures, were poorly correlated with PAT. Future analysis should focus on a worker's physiological response to PAT and mapping of spatial patterns of PAT for a larger worker population to produce innovative and targeted heat prevention programs.
暴露在过高的环境温度下可能会导致严重的发病率和死亡率，尤其是在户外工作者等脆弱的职业群体中。美国的平均气温预计将增加频率和强度，使未来的工人更容易受到不健康的高温暴露。与之前的研究集中在基于原位气象站数据的总体温度暴露不同，本研究将通过试点使用可穿戴传感器技术，在个体层面上测量基于位置的个人环境温度（PAT）。在 2016 年 7 月 11 日至 8 月 8 日的一周内，我们对美国东南部三个地理位置和气候条件不同的地区的 66 名户外工作者进行了连续采样，以了解他们的工作情况。结果表明，在研究地点内和地点之间，工人的温度暴露存在显著差异；由于工人在室内和室外环境之间移动，PAT 的变化不那么明显。开发后的土地覆盖物，通常与较高的温度有关，与 PAT 的相关性较差。未来的分析应该集中在工人对 PAT 的生理反应以及更大的工人群体的 PAT 空间模式的绘制上，以制定创新和有针对性的防暑降温计划。
