bims-cieche 2026-01-11 papers

Issue of 2026–01–11
two papers selected by
Jonas Stefaan Steel, IDEWE

Curr Environ Health Rep. 2026 Jan 07. 13(1): 2

An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses on Occupational Heat Exposure, Health Risks, and Productivity Losses Globally.

Aditya Nath, Subhashis Sahu, Jason Kai Wei Lee.

BACKGROUND: Workplace heat exposure, intensified by climate change, increasingly threatens workers' health, safety, and productivity, especially in the agriculture, construction, and manufacturing sectors. However, current evidence is fragmented due to varied study designs, and the absence of an integrated, multidisciplinary synthesis.
OBJECTIVES: This umbrella review synthesizes findings from current systematic reviews and meta-analyses to appraise the health and productivity outcomes of workplace heat exposure, assess evidence quality, and identify critical research and policy gaps.
METHODS: Fourteen systematic reviews and meta-analyses (published up to 31st March 2025) were included following predefined (PECOS) criteria. Methodological fidelity was analyzed using the AMSTAR checklist, and the strength of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach.
RESULTS: The fidelity of the included reviews was rated from moderate to high, while the robustness of evidence spanned from low to moderate due to study heterogeneity and observational designs. Consistent evidence links workplace heat exposure to higher risks of heat-related illness, reduced eGFR (AOR = 3.50, 95% CI: 1.30-9.40) resulting renal impairment, cognitive decline, and injuries (1% increase in risk per 1℃ rises in temperature). Emerging findings suggests heat-induced sub-cellular and molecular damage (i.e., increased 8-OHdG, HSP70), reduced sperm quality, indicating cellular dysfunction. Women and relocated workers face greater physiological strain. Productivity losses affect 30-60% of exposed workers, with prior estimates suggesting annual global economic losses of approximately $2.1 trillion.
CONCLUSIONS: Workplace heat hazards significantly threaten global workforce health and economic resilience. Urgent, coordinated interventions, robust policy measures, and high-quality longitudinal research are required to alleviate these risks.

Keywords: HSP70; Physiological strain; Renal impairment; Sperm quality; Workplace injuries

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-025-00520-8

Rev Bras Med Trab. 2025 Oct-Dec;23(4):23(4): e20251509

Impacts of diabetes mellitus in the workplace: an integrative review of occupational and economic factors.

Jessica Iracema Diogo Luís, Rogério Muniz de Andrade, João Silvestre Silva-Junior.

Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent chronic condition worldwide and has a substantial impact on workers' quality of life and productivity. Its consequences extend beyond clinical manifestations and reach broader social and economic dimensions. Additionally, the workplace can function as a risk factor for the development or worsening of the disease. The aim was to examine the impacts of diabetes mellitus in occupational settings and identify the main work-related factors associated with its occurrence and productivity outcomes. This integrative review was conducted through searches in the Virtual Health Library and PubMed using Portuguese and English descriptors related to diabetes, occupational health, risk factors, and workplace medicine. Studies published in English or Portuguese and relevant grey literature were included. The findings were organized into two thematic categories: economic impact and occupational factors associated with diabetes. Diabetes mellitus was associated with substantial productivity losses, increased absenteeism, presenteeism, and early retirement. Occupational factors such as shift work, long working hours, chronic stress, low job control, and effort-reward imbalance were identified as determinants of type 2 diabetes. A scarcity of studies addressing how workplace conditions influence the management of type 1 diabetes was observed. It was concluded that diabetes mellitus should be recognized as a significant occupational health concern. Implementing workplace health policies, organizational interventions, and health-promotion programs may contribute to disease prevention and to preserving workers' functional capacity.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus; occupational health; occupational medicine; productivity.; risk factors

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47626/1679-4435-2025-1509