Lone workers attitudes towards their health: views of Ontario truck drivers and their managers

BMC Research Notes

Stephanie Laryea⁴  John J Riva³  Francine Marzanek-Lefebvre³  Lisa Dolovich²  Ricardo Angeles³  Michelle Howard³  Beatrice McDonough¹ 

[1] Healthy Living Division, City of Hamilton Public Health Services, 1447 Upper Ottawa, Unit 10, Hamilton, ON L8W 3J6, Canada;Centre for Evaluation of Medicine, 105 Main Street East, Level P1, Hamilton, ON L8N 1G6, Canada;Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, McMaster Innovation Park, Suite 201A, 175 Longwood Road South, Hamilton, ON L8P 0A1, Canada;Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization, Paramaribo, Suriname

关键词: Workplace health;    Lifestyle;    Chronic disease risk factors;    Health and wellness;    Truck drivers;   

Others  :  1132762
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-297

 received in 2013-10-24, accepted in 2014-05-08,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Truck driving is the second most common occupation among Canadian men. Transportation of goods via roads is of crucial importance for the Canadian economy. The industry is responsible annually for $17 billion in GDP and is projected to increase by 28% over the next 10 years. Recruitment is an issue with 20% of drivers projected to retire or leave the profession in the next 10 years. Despite the reliance on transport truck drivers for the delivery of goods which affects Canada’s economy and daily living of residents, little is known about the health care needs of this large cohort of primarily male lone workers from a drivers’ perspective. Transport truck drivers are independent workers whose non traditional workplace is their tractor, the truck stops and the journey on the road.

The objective of this study was to obtain a contextually informed description of lifestyle issues, health and disease risk factors experienced by drivers and perceived by their managers in the truck driving occupation.

Methods

Using a grounded theory approach, 4 focus groups were conducted with drivers (n = 16) and managers (n = 10) from two trucking companies in Southwestern Ontario to identify the lived experience of the drivers as it relates to preventable risks to health and wellness. A semi structured guided interview was used to explore the lifestyle context of transport truck driving and organizational aspects of the occupation (workplace culture, working conditions and health and wellness promotion).

Results

The predominant themes described stress, workplace, communication, lifestyle, driving culture, family, and fatigue concerns. In terms of the transportation work environment, drivers and managers were aware of the profession’s potential to foster lifestyle related chronic diseases but described challenges in making the profession more amenable to a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusions

Workplace environmental determinants are significant in shaping health behaviours. Chronic disease health risks were the main health concerns identified. Health risks were exacerbated by working conditions (job demands, work hours, financial pressure and the sedentary nature of the job). Workplace health strategies will need to take into account the unique challenges of the occupation.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 McDonough et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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