The Prevalence of Heat-related Illnesses and Associated Factors among Rice Farmers in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of heat-related illnesses (HRI) and their associated factors among rice farmers in Central Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a sample of 379 farmers from August to September 2021 in Ha Tinh province on the north-central coast of Vietnam. A structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic information, farming activities, heat exposure, and health issues. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with HRI. Results: At least one HRI symptom was experienced by 83.4% of farmers, and two or more HRI symptoms were experienced by 55.1% of farmers during the last harvesting season (the summer-autumn rice season, 2021). Factors significantly associated with HRI were age, having chronic diseases, type of farming tasks, the number of hours working in the heat, and water intake. Farmers working outdoors for more than 4 hours in the heat were 2.3 times [95%CI: 1.14–4.69] more likely to experience HRI than those working fewer than 2 hours. A higher risk of HRI was also associated with heavy farming tasks (OR = 2.35, [1.34–4.14]), having hypertension (OR = 3.75, [1.90–7.81]), cardiovascular diseases (OR = 2.53, [1.03–6.93]), and other chronic conditions (OR = 2.51, [1.51–4.25]). In contrast, a lower risk of HRI was found in the older group (OR = 0.44, [0.22–0.87]) and increased water intake (OR = 0.46, [0.27–0.77]). Conclusions: Hot weather is a significant occupational health risk for farmers in Vietnam. Changing the working schedule, working in shorter intervals, and remaining well-hydrated should be considered in HRI prevention strategies.

KEYWORDS:

• Heat-related illnesses
• associated factors
• rice farmers
• occupational health
• Vietnam

Acknowledgments

We express our deep appreciation for all farmers involved in this study for their time and sharing. We would like to pay special thanks to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention staff in Ha Tinh province, Vietnam, who provided excellent support in data collection. We also acknowledge Leanne McKnoulty, Griffith University Postgraduate Students Association editor-in-residence, Australia, for her support in the English editing of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data analysed in the study are not publicly available for ethical reasons but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethical approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by The Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee, Australia (Ref. 2021/174, dated 08/4/2021) and Hanoi University of Public Health Ethical Review Board, Vietnam (Ref. 65/2021/YTCC-HD3, dated 26/02/2021). The study information about objectives, selection criteria, personal information privacy, data protection, advantages, and potential harm were provided to participants before conducting the survey. Each participant was assigned a study number, no private data was collected, and all collected data was coded.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2022.2154086.

Additional information

Funding

The first author was supported by a PhD scholarship from Griffith University. No external funding supported this study.