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. 2012;22(3):251-60.
doi: 10.2188/jea.je20110082. Epub 2012 Feb 18.

Association between occupational heat stress and kidney disease among 37,816 workers in the Thai Cohort Study (TCS)

Benjawan Tawatsupa  1 , Lynette L-Y Lim, Tord Kjellstrom, Sam-ang Seubsman, Adrian Sleigh; Thai Cohort Study Team
Collaborators, Affiliations

Association between occupational heat stress and kidney disease among 37,816 workers in the Thai Cohort Study (TCS)

Benjawan Tawatsupa et al. J Epidemiol. 2012.

Abstract

Background: We examined the relationship between self-reported occupational heat stress and incidence of self-reported doctor-diagnosed kidney disease in Thai workers.

Methods: Data were derived from baseline (2005) and follow-up (2009) self-report questionnaires from a large national Thai Cohort Study (TCS). Analysis was restricted to full-time workers (n = 17 402 men and 20 414 women) without known kidney disease at baseline. We used logistic regression models to examine the association of incident kidney disease with heat stress at work, after adjustment for smoking, alcohol drinking, body mass index, and a large number of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.

Results: Exposure to heat stress was more common in men than in women (22% vs 15%). A significant association between heat stress and incident kidney disease was observed in men (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.01-2.16). The risk of kidney disease was higher among workers reporting workplace heat stress in both 2005 and 2009. Among men exposed to prolonged heat stress, the odds of developing kidney disease was 2.22 times that of men without such exposure (95% CI 1.48-3.35, P-trend <0.001). The incidence of kidney disease was even higher among men aged 35 years or older in a physical job: 2.2% exposed to prolonged heat stress developed kidney disease compared with 0.4% with no heat exposure (adjusted OR = 5.30, 95% CI 1.17-24.13).

Conclusions: There is an association between self-reported occupational heat stress and self-reported doctor-diagnosed kidney disease in Thailand. The results indicate a need for occupational health interventions for heat stress among workers in tropical climates.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Selection process for analyzed population from the Thai Cohort Study, using data from 2005 and 2009
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Association of cohort attributes with heat stress in 2005a 
aOdds ratios (ORs) for age not adjusted; other ORs mutually adjusted and adjusted for age
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Incidence of kidney disease by age group among male and female workers, 2005–2009
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. Effect of heat stress in 2005 on incidence of kidney disease in 2009 among men in physical jobs
Figure 5.
Figure 5.. Effect of prolonged heat stress (2005 and 2009) on incidence of kidney disease among men in physical jobs
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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