Investigating The Effect of Heat Stress Exposure on Visual- Auditory Performances of subjects in laboratory conditions

Heat stress is the most physically harmful factor in open and closed industrial environments. It affects people's cognitive and mental functions, causes the speed of fatigue, reduces concentration and skill, and increases the amount of errors. Therefore, the current research has The Effect of Heat Stress Exposure on Visual- Auditory Performances of subjects in laboratory conditions.

This study was conducted on 32 male students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, aged 20 to 29, who were selected according to the condition of consent and meeting the inclusion criteria. Environmental heat stress was applied at three levels of temperature index of 22, 29, and 34 degrees Celsius, and the temperature index of 22 degrees Celsius was considered as the laboratory background condition. Then, they were studied in different laboratory conditions, including exposure to heat stress. The subjects' attention level and reaction time were evaluated using the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continues test tool. The participants completed the written consent form, demographic information form, and general health questionnaire. Also, the subjects' heart rate was recorded with a digital heart rate monitor.

This study showed that the amount of visual and auditory attention decreased significantly (p<0.001). The reaction time of people increased significantly under the influence of heat stress (p<0.001).

The results showed that exposure to heat stress are an effective factor in reaction time, attention level, and heart rate, which can reduce accuracy in doing work. Therefore, paying attention to the amount of thermal stress in working environments plays an important role in improving the speed and performance of people.