Lise, F.; Shattell, M.; Garcia, F.L.; Kincl, L. Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases of Long-Haul Truck Drivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2024, 21, 897.
Lise, F.; Shattell, M.; Garcia, F.L.; Kincl, L. Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases of Long-Haul Truck Drivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 897.
Lise, F.; Shattell, M.; Garcia, F.L.; Kincl, L. Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases of Long-Haul Truck Drivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2024, 21, 897.
Lise, F.; Shattell, M.; Garcia, F.L.; Kincl, L. Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases of Long-Haul Truck Drivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 897.
Abstract
Long-haul truck drivers are responsible for transporting goods valued at millions of dollars of the world economy and may have their health affected by living and working conditions. This study analyzed and synthesized the scientific findings about risk factors for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases in long-haul truck drivers. An integrative literature review was conducted. We identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria and evaluated the health of 7,363 drivers. The biological risks identified were age, gender, race/ethnicity, genetics, comorbidities, and were considered non-modifiable for chronic diseases. The behavioral risks, considered modifiable, were sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption, overweight, diet, stress, anxiety, unfavorable socioeconomic conditions. Environmental risks involved working conditions such as the number of working hours per day, week and month; time away from home, risk of musculoskeletal injury, and opportunities for rest, hours of sleep and access to health services. The results were presented in two categories: 1) biological, behavioral and environmental risks, and 2) general recommendations to promote physical, cognitive and emotional health. Macro-structural changes are needed to reorganize work and rest, improve access to health services to control risk factors, and to support behavioral and environmental changes to reduce chronic non-communicable diseases and deaths.
Keywords
Social Determinants of Health; Work-Life Balance; COVID-19; Health; Work-environmental; Working conditions; Truckers
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public, Environmental and Occupational Health
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.