SynthesisBMC global and public health2025
International migrant workers, heat exposure, and climate change: a systematic review of health risks and protective interventions.
Synthesis in BMC global and 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
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Occupational heatstroke-induced acute kidney injury: a narrative review of mechanisms, biomarkers, and the timing of blood purification initiation.Renal failure · 2026Review
- Perfect storm: a scoping review of interventions and preparedness strategies at the intersections of climate change, migrant worker health and health systems.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundInternational migrant workers, representing 170 million people globally, often face hazardous working conditions, including extreme heat exposure. These increase their risk of occupational heat strain, exacerbated by poor and exploitative working conditions. This systematic review aims to identify the health risks associated with occupational heat exposure among international migrant workers and document protective interventions and measures being used globally, to inform policies that protect this vulnerable population.
methodsWe searched four electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Ovid Global Health and PsychINFO) for primary research studies (January 2014-April 2024) on international migrant workers experiencing adverse health outcomes alongside high working temperatures. Records were screened, and data were extracted by two independent reviewers. Assessment of study quality was done using Joanna-Briggs Institute checklists. Results were synthesised narratively and reported following PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
resultsOf the 646 records screened, 19 studies involving 2293 migrant workers across six countries were included in the analysis, most of which were conducted in high-income countries (n = 14, 74%), mainly the United States of America (USA). At-risk workers, with ages ranging 10-90 years, were employed in construction (48%) and agriculture (42%), and originated from 14 countries, predominantly India, Mexico, and Nepal. Studies reported workers affected by heat-related illnesses (n = 12 studies), dehydration (n = 5), kidney disease (n = 2), and poor skin health (n = 2). Workers most commonly suffered from symptoms of headaches (n = 83 workers), muscle cramps (n = 53), and heavy sweating (n = 44), with other issues including poor mental health, infertility, and risk to pregnancy interventions focused on water, rest, shade, skin protection, and education, but evaluations were limited and some measures failed to address heat exposure effectively.
conclusionsOccupational heat exposure poses significant health risks for international migrant workers. Where interventions exist, barriers to effectiveness remain, with little evidence from low- and middle- income countries. Amid rising global temperatures, a greater focus is needed on improved worker education, worker-tailored and co-designed interventions, updated guidelines, and increased healthcare accessibility. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42024519547.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.