Women workers in India are examining the effects of heat and humidity on their health and income. This study is conducted by the Self-Employed Women’s Association in India in collaboration with a team from Harvard University. In this research, one thousand women from various occupations, including street vendors, waste recyclers, and farmers, have participated.
Data Collection on Heat Impact
This project is known as the Heat Adaptation and Treatment Strategies (CommHATS) and each woman in this study is equipped with a portable device that measures temperature and humidity at work and home. Additionally, tests are conducted to measure biological markers and surveys are carried out to document living conditions and income. This data creates one of the largest global databases on the impact of heat on human health.
Challenges Due to Heat
Initial results of this research indicate that heat reduces women's income and sleep quality and increases cardiovascular stress. In India, where about 90 percent of workers are informally employed, these conditions particularly affect the lives of poor workers. They are forced to change their working hours to make a living while also cutting costs to maintain their health and income.
The CommHATS project is simply conducted by local workers, demonstrating the ease of use of this technology. Participants in this research actively engage in data tracking and reviewing results, and this tool helps communities understand their environmental impacts on a scale that is relevant to decision-making.
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