Workplace stress and its relation to cardiovascular disease risk factors among bus drivers in Egypt.

BACKGROUND

Driving buses exposes the drivers to many stressors that can increase their cardiovascular risk factors.

AIMS

The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence of workplace stress and its association with cardiovascular risk factors among bus drivers in Egypt.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 234 bus drivers in Cairo, Egypt. Data were collected over a period of 6 months from August 2016 to January 2017. For all drivers, blood pressure, body weight and height and random blood sugar were measured. Professional driving duration/age ratio was calculated. Comparison between cardiovascular risk factors and workplace stress score was made. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

A high prevalence of workplace stress (83.3%) was observed among bus drivers. Moreover, a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, particularly tobacco smoking (65.0%), physical inactivity (93.6%) and hypertension (33.3%), was noted. After adjustment for age and other confounding factors, the risk factors associated with workplace stress were overweight/obesity and hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a positive association between workplace stress and some cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and overweight/obesity, among bus drivers in Egypt.