Morbidity profile of long distance truck drivers in Hyderabad city, India.

Context: Truck drivers in India suffer from multiple health problems related to their long travelling and inadequate rest hours.

Aims: The objective was to study the health problems and risk factors in a sample of truck drivers in Hyderabad city.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during June 2011 among 59 truck drivers from a transport company, who were interviewed using a pretested proforma and examined by trained investigators. Lab results and medical consultations were provided the following day. Results were analyzed using Microsoft Access software.

Results: The mean age of truck drivers was 28.46 ± 9.3 years. 54% suffered from low backache, 16.95% from visual problems, 45.76% had hypertension, 8.47% had anemia and 30.51% had high-risk body mass index. The prevalence of risk factors for metabolic disorders was lower compared to the general population.

Conclusion: Proper road and job policies for truck drivers should be framed, aiming at subjecting them for periodic health evaluations to detect the diseases early.