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[Psychiatric admissions among city bus drivers. A prospective study]
Ugeskrift for Laeger
|January 30, 1989
Summary
Psychiatric admissions were studied in male bus drivers. While overall admissions were lower than the general male population, specific diagnoses like affect reactions were higher, linked to job stress and dissatisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Bus drivers face unique occupational stressors.
- Understanding psychiatric admission rates in specific professions is crucial for public health.
- Previous research on bus drivers' mental health is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate psychiatric admission rates among male bus drivers.
- To compare these rates with the general Danish male population.
- To identify job-related factors associated with psychiatric admissions in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study of 2,645 male bus drivers from 1978 to 1984.
- Psychiatric admissions data were collected and compared to national statistics from 1981.
- A 1978 questionnaire assessed job satisfaction and working conditions.
Main Results:
- Bus drivers had fewer admissions for manic depressive psychoses and reactive conditions compared to Danish men.
- Admissions for affect reactions, paranoid conditions, and non-specific psychoses were significantly higher (SMR=217).
- Job dissatisfaction, monotony, divorce, stress, and imbalance were associated with increased psychiatric admissions.
Conclusions:
- Bus driving may be associated with specific psychiatric vulnerabilities, particularly affect reactions.
- Occupational factors like job dissatisfaction and stress significantly influence psychiatric admission risk.
- Targeted interventions addressing working conditions and stress management are warranted for bus drivers.