The Wildland Firefighter Exposure and Health Effect (WFFEHE) Study: Rationale, Design, and Methods of a Repeated-Measures Study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alexander-Scott MC ; Butler, Corey R. ; Byrne, David C. ; Clark KA ; Domitrovich JW ; Eisenberg, Judith S. ; Fent K ; Graydon PS ; Hale CR ; Navarro KM ; Pinkerton LE ; Ramirez-Cardenas A ; Sammons D ; Smith, Denise L. ; Toennis C ; Wilkinson AF
• Description:
  The wildland firefighter exposure and health effect (WFFEHE) study was a 2-year repeated-measures study to investigate occupational exposures and acute and subacute health effects among wildland firefighters. This manuscript describes the study rationale, design, methods, limitations, challenges, and lessons learned. The WFFEHE cohort included fire personnel ages 18-57 from six federal wildland firefighting crews in Colorado and Idaho during the 2018 and 2019 fire seasons. All wildland firefighters employed by the recruited crews were invited to participate in the study at preseason and postseason study intervals. In 2019, one of the crews also participated in a 3-day midseason study interval where workplace exposures and pre/postshift measurements were collected while at a wildland fire incident. Study components assessed cardiovascular health, pulmonary function and inflammation, kidney function, workplace exposures, and noise-induced hearing loss. Measurements included self-reported risk factors and symptoms collected through questionnaires; serum and urine biomarkers of exposure, effect, and inflammation; pulmonary function; platelet function and arterial stiffness; and audiometric testing. Throughout the study, 154 wildland firefighters participated in at least one study interval, while 144 participated in two or more study interval. This study was completed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health through a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Department of the Interior National Park Service, and Skidmore College. Conducting research in the wildfire environment came with many challenges including collecting study data with study participants with changing work schedules and conducting study protocols safely and operating laboratory equipment in remote field locations. Forthcoming WFFEHE study results will contribute to the scientific evidence regarding occupational risk factors and exposures that can impact wildland firefighter health over a season and across two wildland fire seasons. This research is anticipated to lead to the development of preventive measures and policies aimed at reducing risk for wildland firefighters and aid in identifying future research needs for the wildland fire community. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomarkers Cohort Studies Firefighters Fires Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Lung Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Respiratory System Safety Wildfires

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Cardiovascular Cardiovascular System Cohort Studies Fire Fighters Health Effects Hearing Kidney Kidney Function Noise Induced Hearing Loss Pulmonary Pulmonary Function Wildfire Work Schedules

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• ISSN:
  2398-7308
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; Montana ; New York ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 8 ; Virginia ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  WSD - Western States Division ; DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering ; HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division ; RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  66
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20064217
• Citation:
  Ann Work Expo Health 2022 Jul; 66(6):714-727
• Contact Point Address:
  Kathleen M. Navarro, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Western States Division, Denver, CO, USA
• Email:
  knavarro@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• NORA Priority Area:
  Public Safety ; Construction
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Work Exposures and Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2033a38cb933469570008abe03f4ecb2a82f9e7822ed61ccdd4a6462f49c6d2b253798716b370378f114a0e94d058bcda856a62ebb9e1d46b1ed1702907fc502
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222721/cdc_222721_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 287.45 KB ]