Abstract
Problem Identification: Heat-related illness (HRI) is a significant occupational health concern in the United States. Male construction workers aged 50 and older living in Maricopa County, Arizona face a disproportionate risk of experiencing HRI due to the nature of the job, exposing them to extreme outdoor temperatures.
Analysis: The Social-Ecological Model is utilized to illustrate the interactions between the individual, relationship, community, and societal determinants that impact the risk of HRI among this population. The key determinants focus of this project include acclimatization status, peer support, and lack of personal cooling systems.
Intervention (Solution) Proposal: The HeatWise intervention aims to reduce the incidence of HRI among male construction workers aged 50 and over living in Maricopa County, Arizona. HeatWise will achieve the program outcome objective and impact objectives by conducting a health education workshop, health communication campaign, and health services initiative.
Implementation and Evaluation: HeatWise’s multidisciplinary team will work collaboratively to implement the intervention through strategic partnerships with labor organizations and community members with lived experiences. The program aims to achieve several key outcomes: improving participants’ positive attitudes toward requesting acclimatization schedules from supervisors, increasing peer support for drinking water regularly, providing personal cooling systems to all participants, and ultimately reducing HRI risk among the target population.