Qualidade de Vida, qualidade do sono e transtornos mentais de motoristas de caminhão

Abstract

Occupational health plays an important role in ensuring workers’ well-being, directly impacting productivity, healthcare cost reduction, and quality of life. Truck drivers face unique challenges that can affect their quality of life. Sleep quality and common mental disorders emerge as areas of concern in this context. Demanding work schedules, irregular routines, and long hours on the road contribute to sleep disturbances and the onset of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. These professionals often face the loneliness of the roads, lack of social interaction, and a sedentary lifestyle, which can further exacerbate these issues. This study aimed to assess quality of life, sleep, and common mental disorders in truck drivers. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 399 drivers in two regions of Brazil. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and quality of life was measured by The World Health Organization Quality of Life scale. Screening for common mental disorders was done using the Self Report Questionnaire. Additionally, correlations between different quality of life domains, total sleep quality score and mental disorders were analyzed. The results revealed that the majority of participants were truck drivers with over ten years of professional experience, many of whom drove for a period between seven and 12 hours daily. Among the domains of quality of life, the lowest score occurred for the environment and the highest for the physical domain. Most participants (70%) were classified as good sleepers and without mental disorders (92%). Correlations between quality of life domains and both sleep quality and common mental disorders were negative and of moderate magnitude. While drivers seem to have reasonable quality of life, there is room for improvement, especially regarding the work environment and sleep disturbances. Investments in individual-level interventions to improve quality of life and sleep, along with public policies aimed at improving working conditions and health at the professional level, could contribute to greater road safety and economic health of society.