Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41292203›Full record

ArticleAnnals of occupational and environmental medicine2025

Factors affecting heat-related illness symptoms among school food service workers: a cross-sectional study in Korea.

Nahyun Kim, Dongwhan Suh, Jia Ryu, Woo Chul Jeong, Yun-Keun Lee, Jinwoo Lee, Hyunjoo Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of occupational and environmental medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Nahyun KimDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Dongwhan SuhDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Jia RyuDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
Woo Chul JeongDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Yun-Keun LeeWonjin Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, Seoul, Korea.
Jinwoo LeeCenter for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hanil General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Hyunjoo KimDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSchool food service workers are highly likely to develop heat-related illnesses because of their work environment. However, studies that have examined the risk of heat-related illnesses among them are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of heat exposure, implementation of heat wave countermeasures, and prevalence of heat-related illness symptoms among school food service workers in Korea, and to explore the relationship between them.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey of school food service workers from May 25 to June 12, 2023, via three labor unions. We analyzed 6,244 valid responses. We assessed general characteristics, heat-related illness symptoms (heat rash, heat cramps, heat edema, heat exhaustion, heat syncope), duration of heat exposure during heat waves, and heat wave preventive measures. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed, with adjustments for age, occupation, hypertension, diabetes, and school type.

resultsMore than one-third of school food service workers reported heat exposure between May and September exceeding 4 hours daily, and 94.6% experienced at least one heat-related illness symptom during the last year. A dose-response relationship was observed between heat exposure duration and heat-related illness symptoms (p for trend < 0.001). School food service workers who did not have increased rest periods or did not reduce high-heat prepared foods showed significantly higher odds ratios for heat-related illness symptoms.

conclusionsSchool food service workers experience substantial heat exposure and a high prevalence of heat-related illness symptoms. The risk of heat-related illness symptoms was associated with extended duration of heat exposure. Increasing rest periods and reducing high-heat food preparation were effective preventive measures. These findings underscore the need for improved heat exposure management and implementation of effective preventive measures to protect the health of school food service workers, with particular attention to appropriate rest periods.

Indexed as

Food servicesHeat exhaustionHeat stress disordersOccupational healthWorkplace

Identifiers

PMID41292203
PMCPMC12671953

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.