ArticleBMC public health2022
The physical and mental health of Australian truck drivers: a national cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.
- Keep on truckin': how effective are health behaviour interventions on truck drivers' health? A systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Suicide among transport industry workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of different break patterns during driving on cardiovascular responses in male drivers.Industrial health · 2025Article
- Health of Family Members of Road Transport Workers: Evaluation of Perceived Stress and Family Effectiveness.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Long-Haul Truck Drivers' Perceptions of Truck Stops and Rest Areas: Focusing on Health and Wellness.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases of Long-Haul Truck Drivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Review
- Impact of work and coping factors on mental health: Australian truck drivers' perspective.BMC public health · 2023Article
- The burden of prolonged sedentary behavior imposed by uberization.Sports medicine and health science · 2023Article
- Factors Associated with Fatigued Driving among Australian Truck Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Association between psychological symptoms and illegal driving behaviors in a sample of Chinese private car drivers.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Article
- "Even Though He Had Expressed Willingness to Take PrEP, He Declined When He Noticed the Drugs Were Packed in a Container Like That of ARVs": Exploring Barriers to HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Among Long-Distance Truckers in Kenya.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS CareArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe negative health consequences of truck driving are well documented. However, despite the distinct occupational challenges between long- and short-haul driving, limited research has been conducted on how the health profile of these drivers differ. The aims of this study were to characterise the physical and mental health of Australian truck drivers overall, and to identify any differences in factors influencing the health profile of long-haul compared to short-haul drivers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND
participantsIn this cross-sectional study, 1390 Australian truck drivers completed an online survey between August 2019 and May 2020. Questions included validated measures of psychological distress, general health, work ability and health-related quality-of-life. Participants driving 500 km or more per day were categorised as long-haul and those driving less than 500 km as short-haul.
resultsThe majority of survey respondents were classified as either overweight (25.2%) or obese (54.3%). Three in ten reported three or more chronic health conditions (29.5%) and poor general health (29.9%). The most commonly diagnosed conditions were back problems (34.5%), high blood pressure (25.8%) and mental health problems (19.4%). Chronic pain was reported by 44% of drivers. Half of drivers reported low levels of psychological distress (50.0%), whereas 13.3 and 36.7% experienced severe or moderate level of psychological distress respectively. There were a small number of differences between the health of long- and short-haul drivers. A higher proportion of short-haul drivers reported severe psychological distress compared to long-haul drivers (15.2% vs 10.4%, χ
conclusionAustralian truck drivers report a high prevalence of multiple physical and mental health problems. Strategies focused on improving diet, exercise and preventing chronic conditions and psychological distress, that can also be implemented within the unique occupational environment of trucking are needed to help improve driver health. Further research is needed to explore risk and protective factors that specifically affect health in both short-haul and long-haul drivers.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.