Assessment of Public Health Indicators Among Professional Drivers in Shahroud City: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Introduction: Driving has various harmful factors due to its nature, which affect drivers’ health directly and indirectly. Therefore, it is necessary to know the situation and prevalence of these factors in drivers to implement preventive measures. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study is a part of a cohort study conducted (2016 to 2018) among the professional drivers of Shahroud, Iran. Data related to background information, blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference, body mass index, blood factors, hearing loss (dB), respiratory performance indicators, sleep disorders, and accidents were collected from the participants with standard tools and methods. Results: This study examined 1461 male professional drivers with an average age of 37.30±6.96 years. A total of 426 participants had metabolic syndrome. 797 and 942 people had different degrees of hearing loss, respectively, in the right and left ear. About 129 people had obstructive sleep apnea, and 1330 people had insomnia. Investigations showed that 351 drivers had at least one accident. Conclusion: This study showed the prevalence of health risk factors in professional drivers at the examined time point. Considering the vital role of drivers in transportation and the country’s economy, it seems necessary to pay more attention to the health of this occupational group. Regular health screening, healthy lifestyle training, improvement of working conditions, and stress management are some interventions that can effectively improve drivers’ health.