title: Thermal discomfort and hypertension in bus drivers and chargers in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
abstract: This study aimed to assess the relationship between perception of temperature inside the bus and hypertension among 1126 collective transportation workers in metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Thermal discomfort was determined based on the perception of temperature inside the bus. Hypertension was determined if participant had a medical diagnosis of this disease. Prevalence ratios (PR) for hypertension and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were adjusted using multivariate Poisson regression analysis. The perceptions of temperature inside the bus were tolerable (26.5%), disturbs a little (28.6%), disturbs a lot (34.8%) and unbearable (10.2%). The prevalence of hypertension was 14.3%. The thermal discomfort categories of disturbs a lot (PR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.02-1.95) and unbearable (PR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.16-2.63) were independently related to hypertension. Thermal discomfort was associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension. This finding should be considerate in new policies for public transportation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Nursing and Public Health, School of Nursing, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, CEP 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: adrianomp@ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Adriano Marçal
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pimenta
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, CEP 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ada Ávila
authors.initials: AÁ
authors.lastname: Assunção
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008029:Lighting; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009623:Noise, Occupational; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010465:Perception; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014732:Vibration; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bus driver; Hot temperature; Hypertension