Project Summary/Abstract:
Increasing evidence shows that heat stress, especially in workplaces, is a major health threat in Central
America under current conditions that will likely worsen with climate change. This proposal requests partial
support for the research-training workshop ‘Impacts of extreme meteorological conditions on workers and
community health in Central America’ planned for July 2022 in San Salvador, El Salvador.
The specific aims are as follows. Aim 1: Address the EOH risks and vulnerabilities in Central American
countries, with special emphasis on the consequences of meteorological modifications that are critically
affecting this area. Aim 2. Encourage and enhance communication, understanding and collaboration between
practicing clinicians, basic scientists, clinical researchers, epidemiologists, toxicologists, experts in exposure
sciences, special interest groups (including industry and Union representatives), governmental risk assessors
and regulatory experts to improve detection and prevention of EOH hazards. Aim 3. Organize the conference
tutorials, invited and free presentations, discussions, debates, demonstrations and interactions to document
major new research advances, facilitate identification of specific research gaps, formulate hypotheses and
potential experimental designs to answer to emerging scientific questions. Aim 4. Facilitate interdisciplinary
collaboration of practitioners and scientist/investigators to help foster or initiate new multidisciplinary research
approaches to advance the EOH science. Aim 5. Produce deliverables including the workshop outputs on: i)
identification of urgent EOH hazards; and ii) consensus on sustainable intervention policies in Central America.
This documentation will be disseminated after the workshop through various media, such as journal articles,
news outlets and social media.
This proposal seeks support to provide travel grants to 20 participants from the Central American countries that
lack the resources to participate in the EOH research training workshop. The anticipated impact of the
proposed workshop on EOH scientists from the region includes increased awareness and knowledge of
Central American EOH threats and intervention strategies, especially focused on the prevention of health risks
related to the meteorological modifications critically affecting this area. Given the worldwide temperature
increase, the challenges experienced in Central America can be projected to the United States in the
immediate future. Our proposed meeting will generate transferable new insights that will be useful to increase
preparedness in the US to prevent climate-related health impacts.
