A study on the health status of professional drivers in national routes and regional roads

Uruguay 2021

Authors

  • Diana Domenech Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Docente – asistencial N° 74, Prof. Agda. Paysandú
  • Fabricio Rocca Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Docente – asistencial N° 74. Paysandú. Dpto. de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Asistente (t)
  • Nury Guilleminot Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Docente – asistencial N° 74, Paysandú. Dpto. de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Ex Asistente (t)
  • Lucía Lanterna Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Docente – asistencial N° 74, Paysandú. Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria , Jefa de Residentes
  • Elke Díaz Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Docente – asistencial N° 74, Paysandú. Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Residente
  • Mariana Piriz Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Docente – asistencial N° 74, Paysandú. Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Residente
  • Daniel Strozzi Universidad de la República, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Docente – asistencial N° 74, Paysandú. Dpto. de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Prof. Adj.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29193/RMU.38.4.2

Keywords:

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, ACCIDENT PREVENTION, HEALTH STATUS, ROUTE DRIVERS

Abstract

Introduction: road accidents are a Public Health issue. The UNASEV (National Unit of Road Safety) reported that 422 people died in road accidents in 2019, and 52% of them died in national routes. The human factor is a key element in this multi-factor phenomenon, and therefore, the health status of route professional drivers is extremely important. There are no specific studies addressing this aspect in our country.
Objective: to learn about the health-disease status of professional drivers in the land freight or passenger transport sector, who work in national and regional routes between May and August 2021.
Method: descriptive, transversal study focusing on drivers over 18 years old, holder of professional drivers’ licenses, who cover distances greater than 100 km during a working day in national routes and the primary network of the National Road Network. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was used.
Results: 112 drivers answered the questionnaire, 97.3% of which were male. Average age was 43.5 years old, and most of them came from Canelones (24.1%), Montevideo and San José (16.1%) respectively. 67.8% were transporting loads and 59.8% thought their health status was good. As to diseases, osteoarticular conditions prevailed (55.3% had back pain). In terms of lifestyle, drivers declared they slept 6.74 hours per day on average, and 39.3% stated they needed to stop driving in order to sleep. 77.8% led a sedentary life, 65.2% used some kind of medication, and in the last month, 98.8% consumed mate (national infusion), 19.64% alcohol and 2 drivers used cocaine. 54.5% stated they had no primary physician.
Discussion: a discussion was held with the Coordinating Entity of Transport Unions, the National Association of Route Transport Companies (ANETRA) and UNASEV. The under-declaration of diseases and consumption of medication and substances are reasons of concern, and proposals were made to improve the health care services of workers and their access to a primary physician.

References

1) Word Health Organization. Global status report on road safety 2018. Geneva: WHO, 2018.
2) Unidad Nacional de Seguridad Vial. Sistema de Información Nacional de Tránsito. Informe anual de siniestralidad vial 2019. Montevideo: UNASEV, 2019.
3) Uruguay. Ministerio de Transporte y Obras Públicas. Dirección Nacional de Vialidad. Red vial nacional. Montevideo: MTOP, 2013.
4) Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Estado de la seguridad vial en la región de las Américas. Washington, DC: OPS, 2019.
5) Uruguay. Ministerio de Salud Pública. Estudio de carga global de enfermedad: guías. Montevideo: MSP, 2019.
6) Organización Mundial de la Salud. Decenio de acción para la seguridad vial 2011-2020. Salvemos millones de vidas. Ginebra: OMS, 2011.
7) Norza Céspedes E, Granados León E, Useche Hernández S, Romero Hernández M, Moreno Rodríguez J. Componentes descriptivos y explicativos de la accidentalidad vial en Colombia: incidencia del factor humano. Criminalidad 2014; 56(1):157-87.
8) Uruguay. Unidad Nacional de Seguridad Vial. Pare y ceda el paso a la educación vial: segunda parte. Montevideo: UNASEV, 2014.
9) Montoro L, Alonso F, Esteban C, Toledo F. Manual de seguridad vial: el factor humano. Barcelona: Ariel, 2000.
10) Plenario Intersindical de Trabajadores - Convención Nacional de Trabajadores. Seminario de Transporte, Unimos y desarrollamos el país. San José, 26 de octubre de 2017.
11) Rey de Castro J, Rosales-Mayor E. Monitoreo del sueño en conductores de ómnibus y camiones: factor relevante a considerar para la renovación de la licencia de conducir. Rev Perú Med Exp Salud Pública 2010; 27(2):260-6.
12) Garbarino S, Magnavita N, Guglielmi O, Maestri M, Dini G, Bersi F, et al. Insomnia is associated with road accidents. Further evidence from a study on truck drivers. PLoS One 2017; 12(10):e0187256. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187256.
13) Souza J, Paiva T, Reimão R. Sono, qualidade de vida e acidentes em caminhoneiros brasileiros e portugueses. Psicol Estud 2008; 13(3):429-36.
14) Umar IK, Bashir S. Investigation of the factors contributing to truck driver’s involvement in an injury accident. Pamukkale Univ Muh Bilim Derg 2020; 26(3):402-8.
15) Ronna B, Thiese M, Ott U, Effiong A, Murtaugh M, Kapellusch J, et al. The association between cardiovascular disease risk factors and motor vehicle crashes among professional truck drivers. J Occup Environ Med 2016; 58(8):828-32. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000806.
16) Leopoldo K, Leyton V, Garcia de Oliveira L. Uso exclusivo de álcool e em associação a outras drogas entre motoristas de caminhão que trafegam por rodovias do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil: um estudo transversal. Cad Saúde Pública 2015; 31(9):1916-28.
17) Bragazzi N, Dini G, Toletone A, Rahmani A, Montecucco A, Massa E, et al. Patterns of harmful alcohol consumption among truck drivers: implications for occupational health and work safety from a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018; 15(6):1121. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15061121.
18) Berrones Sanz L, Cano Olivos P, Sánchez Partida D, Martínez Flores J. Lesiones, enfermedades y accidentes de trabajo de los conductores del autotransporte de carga en México. Acta Univ 2018; 28(3):47-55.
19) Sepúlveda Guerra E, Valenzuela Suazo S, Rodríguez Campo V. Condiciones laborales, salud y calidad de vida en conductores. Rev Cuid 2020; 11(2):e1083. doi: 10.15649/cuidarte.1083.
20) Manterola C, Otzen T. Los sesgos en investigación clínica. Int J Morphol 2015; 33(3):1156-64.
21) Uruguay. Ministerio de Salud Pública. Departamento de Vigilancia en Salud (Sector ENT). Área Programática ENT. Departamento Estadísticas Vitales. Morbilidad por enfermedades no transmisibles. Uruguay, diciembre 2019. Montevideo: MSP, 2019.
22) Organización Internacional del Trabajo. R161 Recomendación sobre duración del trabajo y períodos de descanso (transportes por carretera), 1979 (núm. 161). Ginebra: OIT, 1979.
23) Sandvik H, Hetlevik Ø, Blinkenberg J, Hunskaar S. Continuity in general practice as predictor of mortality, acute hospitalisation, and use of out-of-hours care: a registry-based observational study in Norway. Br J Gen Pract 2022; 72(715):e84-e90. doi: 10.3399/BJGP.2021.0340.

Published

2022-12-12

How to Cite

1.
Domenech D, Rocca F, Guilleminot N, Lanterna L, Díaz E, Piriz M, et al. A study on the health status of professional drivers in national routes and regional roads: Uruguay 2021. Rev. Méd. Urug. [Internet]. 2022 Dec. 12 [cited 2024 Sep. 16];38(4):e38403. Available from: https://revista.rmu.org.uy/index.php/rmu/article/view/979

Most read articles by the same author(s)