Obesity, psychological distress dog many Aussie truckies
MORE THAN HALF OF AUSTRALIA’S TRUCK DRIVERS (who are mostly men) are obese – compared to a national average of one in three….
And they are experiencing widespread medical problems and psychological distress. These are key findings from the country’s biggest-ever national survey of truckies’ health.
And there are more worrying statistics revealed by the Monash University survey: About 30% of drivers who participated had three or more diagnosed health conditions, such as back pain, high blood pressure and mental health conditions. That’s four times greater than the national average.
One in three drivers reported lower back pain and one in four said they’d been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Chronic pain was identified as a key health issue among the drivers, with two in three participants experiencing pain that lasted more than three months.
The survey found that drivers with more than two chronic medical conditions were more likely to have severe psychological distress, have worse general health and lower work ability.
More than half of those surveyed reported psychological distress. Mental health is a particular concern for younger drivers, says the survey report – with one in five suffering from severe psychological distress (almost double that of Australian men of the same age).
Many surveyed drivers said that public perceptions of them contribute to the daily stresses of their work environments: “We get blamed for the accident whether it’s our fault or not,” as one driver summed up.
Lead researcher Dr Ross Iles says: “Truck drivers are mostly men, and we know men generally don’t talk about mental health.
“What this research shows is the real size of the issue, especially for younger drivers. While there is an opportunity to help drivers to cope with the pressure of the job, longterm solutions have to address the conditions drivers are operating under.”
The survey identified seven key areas that impacted a truck driver’s physical and mental health – including access to healthy food, exercise and sleep; the stresses of being on the road; the quality of personal relationships; and conditions in the workplace.
They also cited the regulations and policies drivers have to follow, access to parking and rest facilities and the attitudes of people to truck drivers.
On the obesity issue, drivers surveyed said a lack of availability to healthy food on the road, strict regulations, irregular shift-work and rigid time constraints often impede their ability to manage their exercise, diet and sleep.
Researcher Dr Elizabeth Pritchard says: “It’s incredibly difficult for individual truck drivers to influence these seven factors. We need to understand the barriers and enablers here, and make changes to how we as a society value our truck drivers.
“The demands that they have to deliver loads on time – regardless of delays – and the consequences that entails are huge. We need to support them more for a better future.”
Says Iles: “This year has shown us the critical role that truck drivers have in keeping Australia moving. They frequently experience isolation and separation from loved ones, and the nature of long-haul work in particular offers limited opportunities for incidental physical activity and good nutrition. This reveals a need for additional supports to ensure they can do their work safely – it’s our turn to keep them moving.”
The Driving Health Study is run by Monash University’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, in partnership with Linfox, the Transport Workers Union and the Centre for Work Health and Safety.
T&D