The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Workplace Health Saf. 2024 Jan;72(1):6-12. doi: 10.1177/21650799231193587. Epub 2023 Aug 30.
Chronic health conditions are highly prevalent among truck drivers due to many unique occupational and environmental stressors. Health promotion programs are shown to be effective in improving truck driver health outcomes; however, there is no research on whether such programs can increase the length of a driver's Department of Transportation (DOT) medical certificate. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate Fit to Pass (FTP), a remotely accessible health promotion program available for truck drivers on improved health outcomes and increased DOT medical certificate length.
Program evaluation included an evaluation of the FTP coaching guide against evidence-based practice guidelines. An analysis of a limited dataset of 22 truck driver records examined the effectiveness of the program in achieving improved health outcomes and increased medical certification length.
A review of the literature revealed three major themes: (a) motivational interviewing to increase driver intention and self-efficacy; (b) mobile health care technology to connect hard-to-reach truck drivers; and (c) effectiveness of structured multicomponent health promotion programs. After participation in FTP, truck drivers experienced a mean decrease in weight and body mass index (BMI) of 4.6 lbs and 1.3 kg/m, respectively. The lengths of initial DOT medical certificates were compared with DOT medical certificates received at the time of recertification (post-FTP). Only eight participants had the potential for improvement in certificate length. Of those, three truck drivers achieved an increased DOT medical certificate length at the time of recertification.
CONCLUSION/APPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: FTP offers tailored and comprehensive health coaching for truck drivers using current evidence-based practice guidelines to educate and reinforce healthy lifestyle habits. Analysis of a limited dataset revealed a mean decrease in BMI and a trend of increased DOT medical certification lengths after participation in FTP; however, further research with larger sample sizes is recommended.
由于许多独特的职业和环境压力因素，卡车司机普遍存在慢性健康问题。健康促进计划已被证明可有效改善卡车司机的健康状况；然而，目前尚无研究表明此类计划是否可以延长驾驶员的 DOT 医疗证书有效期。本质量改进项目的目的是评估 Fit to Pass（FTP），这是一种可供卡车司机使用的远程健康促进计划，旨在评估其对改善健康结果和延长 DOT 医疗证书有效期的效果。
计划评估包括对 FTP 辅导指南与循证实践指南的对比评估。对 22 名卡车司机记录的有限数据集进行分析，以评估该计划在实现改善健康结果和延长医疗认证有效期方面的有效性。
对文献的回顾揭示了三个主要主题：（a）采用动机性访谈以提高驾驶员的意图和自我效能；（b）使用移动医疗保健技术与难以接触的卡车司机建立联系；以及（c）结构化多组分健康促进计划的有效性。在参加 FTP 后，卡车司机的体重和体重指数（BMI）分别平均下降了 4.6 磅和 1.3 千克/米。初始 DOT 医疗证书的长度与重新认证时（FTP 后）收到的 DOT 医疗证书长度进行了比较。只有 8 名参与者有可能延长证书长度。其中，有 3 名卡车司机在重新认证时获得了 DOT 医疗证书长度的延长。
结论/对实践的应用：FTP 使用当前循证实践指南为卡车司机提供量身定制的综合健康辅导，以教育和强化健康的生活方式习惯。对有限数据集的分析表明，参加 FTP 后 BMI 平均下降，DOT 医疗认证长度呈增加趋势；然而，建议进行更大样本量的进一步研究。
