ArticleBMC public health2025
Perceived impact of heat stress on health and productivity of tropical female garment workers- a comparison between cool and hot months.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Workplace health and safety under climate stress in Sri Lankan apparel SMEs.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Exposure to Occupational Risks and Labour Productivity in Africa: An Empirical Investigation From 1992 to 2021.Environmental health insights · 2026Article
- Outdoor thermal comfort and cognition impact pro-environmental behaviors: evidence from a field experiment in the tropics.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChallenging work conditions, characterized by high temperatures and humidity without the availability of adequate cooling systems, can put garment workers at an increased risk of heat stress. We examined the impact of heat stress on the health and productivity of young female garment workers, and the heat relief measures they took.
methodsWe surveyed and compared a total of 753 female responses across three factories in tropical Phnom Penh, Cambodia, between the cool (November 2021 to January 2022, WBGT 25.2 ± 2.0
resultsDuring hot months, respondents reported an increase in heat-related symptoms (68% in cool months vs. 88% in hot months). Common symptoms included thirst (50% vs. 81%, p < 0.001), feeling hot (28% vs. 68%, p < 0.001), and heavy sweating (31% vs. 61%, p < 0.001). The perceived impact on productivity was greater during hot months (59% vs. 68%). Respondents perceived heat degraded their motivation (50% vs. 72%, p < 0.001), task speed (42% vs. 66%, p < 0.001), ability to do physical work (37% vs. 56%, p < 0.001), and understanding of tasks (18% vs. 31%, p < 0.001). Increasing water intake was the most common heat relief measure (87% vs. 95%, p < 0.001), while other strategies such as resting in front of a fan (32% vs. 36%) or pouring water over their head (20% vs. 21%) were similar between the cool and hot months (p > 0.05).
conclusionsEven a small increase in temperature could compromise workers' health and work productivity. Workers had to seek heat relief measures all year round due to constant exposure to high temperatures and humidity. In face of a warming world, it is therefore pertinent that these heat-induced impacts are addressed to safeguard workers' lives and livelihoods, and to ensure productivity in factories.
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Registered trials
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