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Although mixed methods research proves significant in understanding complex social phenomenon, inadequate research has explored its utility in heat exposure studies. The convergent mixed methods analysis comprising 320 surveys and two focus group interviews were used to evaluate the social impacts of occupational heat stress on Ghanaian mineworkers to enlighten policy choices for the purpose of complementarity. The study contributes to mixed methods study by affirming the practical use of between-method triangulation and complementarity. The merged quantitative and qualitative results also showed adequate corroboration and complementarity between both data, to illustrate the social impacts of work-related heat stress on mining workers as heat-related comorbidity, productive capacity loss, anxiety, slow pace of work, and inadequate social well-being. The mixed methods results would inform policy options on the health and safety of work settings, managing occupational heat stress, and adaptation guidelines in the mining industry.

Across the tropical developing countries, smallholder farmers are confronted with various climate related risks that hinge on agricultural activities. Climate change is predicted to impact smallholder farmers and their livelihood, especially within and beyond this century. Several studies have examined the impact of drought and rainfall on smallholder farmers as climate change impact assessment. However, there is limited information on impacts and coping strategies of poor farmers to heat exposure at household and farm level in tropical developing countries. As global temperature is predicted to increase with robust impacts on farmers in African region due to poverty and low adaptive capacity, this study evaluates how farmers in Bawku East of Northern Ghana experience the impacts of heat stress and how they cope with it both at the household level and on the field of cultivation. Using household survey and focus group discussion, the authors elicited impacts and responses of heat exposure from 308 resident farmers in three selected farming communities in Bawku East to gauge their vulnerability to heat exposure. Even though farmers have various impacts and coping strategies to heat exposure, these are ineffective to prevent them from heat related morbidity and mortality at both household and farm level. The study recommends the need for government led intervention to assist farmers in their effort to cope with heat stress as global temperatures will exacerbate heat stress impacts on small holder farmers especially in African region.