Sleep habits, fatigue, and sleepiness in Chiclayo-Peru's bus drivers.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the study are to describe sleep habits, fatigue, and sleepiness in Chiclayo's (Peru) bus drivers and explore their relation with traffic accidents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with a non-probability consecutive sampling. The sample size was 126 drivers. Sleepiness was evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and sleep hygiene with validated questionnaires. We used a history of traffic accident or a near-traffic accident as an independent variable and applied chi-squared, t, and Mann-Whitney U tests to evaluate initial associations, which were later tested with a multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The mean age was 47.8 ± 9, 7 years, all were male. Twenty-seven (21%) bus drivers drove 10 or more hours per day; twenty-seven (21%) drove 5 or more hours without stopping; and eleven (9%) slept less than 6 h per day. Ninety-three (74%) drivers had fatigue while driving; thirty-one (25%) sleepiness; thirty-six (29%) had an accident or near accident; and (35%) had nodding while driving. Nodding while driving (PR 2.13, IC 1.26-3.59, p < 0.01) and the number of years as a driver (PR 1.03, IC 1.00-1.05, p = 0.02) were associated with an accident or near accident.

CONCLUSION

Fatigue, sleepiness, and a history of accident or near accident were frequent. Having had an accident or near accident was significantly associated with nodding while driving and the number of years as a driver in Chiclayo's bus drivers.