Health and wellness of long-haul truck and bus drivers: A systematic literature review and directions for future research

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The purpose was to provide a comprehensive review of the literature related to the health and wellness of truck (long and short-haul) and bus drivers in Canada and the USA. Methods The following databases were searched: Medline (Pubmed), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO and Scopus, as well as the grey literature using a combination of key words (e.g. truck or bus drivers, accidents, health, wellness, road safety). Only English articles published between 2000 and 2016 were included. The search yielded 33 peer reviewed articles and 9 reports relevant to the health and wellness of CMV drivers. Results The findings show that long-haul truck drivers have multiple risk factors (i.e., smoking, obesity, hypertension, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and sleep) that can lead to various medical conditions (i.e., cardiovascular disorders, diabetes) and adverse events (i.e., crashes). Several medical conditions including sleep apnea (and fatigue more generally), obesity and cardiovascular disorders are all associated with increased crash risk. There was little information on bus drivers or short-haul truck drivers, however, the available information would suggest they are also exposed to negative work and driver environments leading to the development of risk factors associated with medical conditions. Conclusions Further research is needed to characterize the work environment and lifestyle practices (particularly sleep, smoking, diet and exercise) of truck and bus drivers to understand the interactions between various risk factors and health outcomes. Obtaining baseline information, including national prevalence rates of health issues, is vitally important for public health, regulatory organizations, and industry to coordinate prevention efforts.