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The acute physiological stress response to driving: A systematic review
Michael Antoun1, Kate M Edwards1,2, Joanna Sweeting3
1Exercise Health and Performance Research group, Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Sydney, Cumberland, New South Wales, Australia.
Plos One
|October 17, 2017
Summary
Driving for extended periods may induce a physiological stress response, particularly evident in elevated urine catecholamine and cortisol levels. Shorter driving durations show insufficient evidence for an acute stress response, especially in real-world conditions.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Psychophysiology
- Transportation Science
Background:
- Driving is hypothesized to negatively impact health due to acute stress responses.
- Repeated driving exposures may contribute to chronic stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize evidence on physiological stress responses elicited by driving.
- To determine if driving acts as an acute physiological stressor.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of original articles from CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Medline databases (inception–March 2016).
- Inclusion criteria: quantitative examination of acute physiological stress response to driving (on-road or simulated) versus control.
- Adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
Main Results:
- Seven studies met inclusion criteria (4 simulator, 3 on-road).
- Moderate evidence suggests driving long hours on-road increases urine catecholamine and cortisol.
- Other physiological outcomes showed limited or inconsistent findings due to study limitations.
Conclusions:
- Moderate evidence supports driving long hours elicits a prolonged stress response.
- Insufficient evidence exists for acute stress response from shorter driving durations, especially on-road.
- Limited studies, small sample sizes, and methodological heterogeneity restrict definitive conclusions.
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