Mental Health Among Bus Drivers and Conductors: A Cross-Sectional Study From Karaikal, South India

Background Health hazards faced by bus drivers and conductors due to their stressful working conditions can vary greatly depending on the country and specific circumstances. In some regions, stringent regulations mitigate the risks, while in others, lack of enforcement exacerbates the situation. The common mental health issues faced by bus drivers and conductors are anxiety and depression. Therefore, this study was planned to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression among bus drivers and conductors and identify the risk factors associated with depression and anxiety. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among the bus drivers and conductors working in government and private transport in Karaikal, Puducherry, South India. After institutional ethics committee clearance, 450 male transport workers with a mean age of 42.6 ± 8.56 (SD) years were interviewed to assess their mental status according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were employed using SPSS software version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) to ascertain the association between dependent (anxiety/depression) and independent variables. Results About 16% and 13% of bus drivers and conductors were suffering from anxiety and depression, respectively. Age, education, marital status, bus route type, years of experience, and depression were significantly associated with anxiety. Whereas type of employment, years of experience, and anxiety were significantly associated with depression (p < 0.05). Conclusions Anxiety and depression in drivers and conductors constitute a major public health problem. Proper job rotation, enabling good ergonomics, and social support are some recommendations to promote mental health among transport workers.