Driver-passenger communicative stress and psychological distress among Chinese bus drivers: the mediating effect of job burnout

The relationship between effort-reward imbalance and quality of working life among medical caregivers: mediating effects of job burnout

Background

To determine the relationship between effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and quality of working life (QWL) among medical caregivers and the mediating role of job burnout.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 787 medical caregivers at seven hospitals from Sichuan and Chongqing, China, between May to September 2023 were included in this observational study. The General Information Questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERI), Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), and Quality of Working Life Scale (QWL7-32) were used for data collection. SPSS 26.0 and PROCESSv3.3 were used for all data analyses, including descriptive statistics.

Results

A total of 820 questionnaires were distributed, of which only 787 were valid (return rate; 95.98%). The QWL score of medical caregivers was 126.94 ± 16.69. However, QWL scores were significantly different depending on age, number of children, family support status, department, years of experience, night shift status, number of night shifts per month, number of hours worked per day, monthly income, and occurrence of errors or adverse events (p < 0.05). Furthermore, job burnout and ERI were negatively correlated with QWL (p < 0.01). Job burnout mediated (95% CI = -0.365, -0.260) the relationship between ERI and QWL, accounting for 58.65% of the total effect.

Conclusion

Medical caregivers have a medium level of QWL. Job burnout partially mediates the relationship between ERI and QWL. Medical caregiver managers can improve QWL by directly intervening in occupational stress and indirectly intervening in job burnout.

Predictive effects of organizational justice on job satisfaction in bus drivers: the moderating effects of role overload and proactive personality

BACKGROUND

There have been few longitudinal studies on Chinese bus drivers and the individual differences in the relationships between organizational justice and job satisfaction. This study examined the organizational justice and job satisfaction in bus drivers and the individual differences in this relationship.

METHODS

A two-wave longitudinal study design was employed. A first survey was conducted on 513 Chinese bus drivers in October 2021 that collected socio-demographic information and asked about their perceptions of organizational fairness. A second survey was conducted six months later that asked about role overload and job satisfaction and assessed their proactive personality type. An effect model was then used to explore the moderating effects of role overload and proactive personality type on the relationships between organizational justice and job satisfaction.

RESULTS

Both procedural and interactive justice predicted the bus drivers' job satisfaction. Proactive personalities and role overload were found to enhance this relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

Organizations could benefit from screening at the recruitment stage for drivers with highly proactive personalities. Relevant training for drivers with low proactive personalities could partially improve employee job satisfaction. When viewed from a Chinese collectivist cultural frame, role overload could reflect trust and a sense of belonging, which could enhance job satisfaction. Finally, to improve employee job satisfaction, organizations need to ensure procedural and interactive justice.

Can restricting while-in-bed smartphone use improve sleep quality via decreasing pre-sleep cognitive arousal among Chinese undergraduates with problematic smartphone use? Longitudinal mediation analysis using parallel process latent growth curve modeling

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has become a global public health problem. Excessive while-in-bed smartphone use may result in poor sleep quality. The present study aimed to examine whether restricting while-in-bed smartphone use can improve sleep quality and the mediating role of pre-sleep cognitive arousal in this process.

METHODS

A total 152 Chinese undergraduates with symptoms of PSU (Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version [SAS-SV] > 31) were recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention group (N = 76) and the control group (N = 76) for a 4-week follow-up experiment. Sleep quality (assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and pre-sleep cognitive arousal (assessed by the Pre-sleep Arousal Scale-Cognitive Arousal) were measured at baselime, Week1, Week2, Week3, and Week4. The longitudinal mediation model was analyzed using parallel process latent growth curve modeling. The significance of indirect effect was tested by 95% biascorrected accelerated confidence intervals on the basis of 5000 bootstrap samples.

RESULTS

The initial level of sleep quality was positively associated with the initial level of pre-sleep cognitive arousal. The intervention decreased pre-sleep cognitive arousal and increased sleep quality. The slope of pre-sleep cognitive arousal was positively associated with the slope of sleep quality. The mediating effect of pre-sleep cognitive arousal was significant.

DISCUSSION

Restricting while-in-bed smartphone use can improve sleep quality via decreasing pre-sleep cognitive arousal among Chinese undergraduates with symptoms of PSU. These results suggests that restricting while-in-bed smartphone use is a potential remedy for sleep disturbance induced by PSU.

A 5-Year Follow-Up Study to Explore Factors Associated with Rapid Kidney Function Decline Among Bus Drivers

Background

Owing to the stressful occupational characteristics, bus drivers have been reported to have a higher risk of renal dysfunction. However, the related factors associated with rapid kidney function decline among bus drivers have not been explored in the existing literature. Therefore, our research aimed to investigate factors related with rapid kidney function decline, and to explore the correlation of baseline SUA (serum uric acid), longitudinal changes in SUA, and rapid eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) decline for bus drivers.

Methods

This was a five-year cohort study in Shenzhen, China, between 2017 and 2021. We included 832 bus drivers with normal kidney function at baseline. Study subjects were stratified into four quartiles of change in eGFR, and rapid eGFR decline was regarded as the highest (4th) quartile of ΔeGFR (eGFR in 2017-eGFR in 2021). Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to explore factors affecting rapid eGFR decline.

Results

The incidence of hyperuricemia among bus drivers was 37.7% in 2017 and 40.5% in 2021. The overall subjects had a median 5-year decrease in eGFR of 6.72 mL/min/1.73 m2, and individuals with increased SUA from normal to hyperuricemia group had the greatest decline of eGFR. Multivariate analysis showed bus drivers' age (Odds radio: OR, 1.04), elevated baseline eGFR (OR, 1.08), and SUA increase (OR, 1.38) were significantly associated with rapid eGFR changes.

Conclusion

The high prevalence of hyperuricemia among bus drivers should warrant more attention from health professionals. Subjects' age, elevated baseline eGFR, and SUA increase were risk factors for rapid eGFR decline over 5-year. The findings can provide significant evidence for timely prevention and intervention to decrease the incidence of rapid renal function decline among bus drivers.

Healthy Bus Drivers, Sustainable Public Transport: A Three-Time Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in Switzerland

Objectives: To study the change in the prevalence of bus drivers' health outcomes between 2010 and 2022 and their relationship with working conditions. Method: Unionized bus drivers completed a self-administered questionnaire in 2010, 2018, and 2022 on 13 health outcomes, sick leaves, and accidents and working conditions and their change during SARS-CoV-2 crisis. For outcomes which prevalence increased since 2010, we performed logistic regression models adjusted for covariates. Results: The study sample included 772 participants in 2010, 393 in 2018, and 916 in 2022. The most prevalent health problem (≥50%) was shoulder or neck muscle pain. The most tedious working conditions were working days over 10 h. Shoulder or neck pain, sleep disorders, sick leaves, and accidents increased since 2010 and were associated with working conditions, and co-morbidity. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had additional negative consequences. Conclusion: Most bus drivers' working and health conditions worsened in the last 12 years. Given the study design, the results deserve a cautious interpretation and generalization. Cohort studies should confirm these results and inform interventions targeting the most tedious and harmful working conditions.

Exploring hazard anticipation and stress while driving in light of defensive behavior theory

In driving, poor hazard anticipation would provide drivers less time to prepare an appropriate response, increasing the urgency of the situation and generating more stress. Assuming this, the current study seeks to determine whether a predictable road hazard triggers hazard anticipation in drivers that can mitigate the ensuing stress response, and whether the stress response is influenced by driving experience. In a simulated road environment, a cue was used to trigger hazard anticipation, and a road hazard to induce a stress response. Heart rate, pupil diameter, driving speed, subjective stress, arousal, and negative emotions, were retrieved from 36 drivers who all faced the cue followed by the hazard (i.e. a predictable hazard), the cue only, and the hazard only. In the light of work on defensive behaviors, the findings indicate that a predictable hazard triggers hazard anticipation detectable via (1) freezing behavior-characterized by cardiac deceleration-(2) anticipatory pupil dilation and (3) anticipatory speed deceleration. The results also point to a beneficial role for hazard anticipation in reducing driver stress, as evidenced by reductions in peak heart rate levels, as well as in reported levels of stress and negative emotions. Finally, the findings showed an influence of driving experience on reported levels of stress. Overall, this study shows how previous work on defensive behaviors can be used to gain insight into the processes and driving behaviors involved in hazard anticipation and stress.

Transtornos Mentais Comuns em Motoristas de Transporte Coletivo de Passageiros

Este estudo teve como objetivo a identificação dos fatores associados aos transtornos mentais comuns (TMC) em motoristas de transporte coletivo de passageiros, em uma amostra de 258 motoristas pertencentes ao quadro funcional de duas empresas de transporte coletivo. Para a coleta de dados, foram utilizados o Questionário de Dados Sociodemográficos, Laborais e Estressores Ocupacionais e o Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Realizaram-se análises bivariadas (qui-quadrado de Pearson) entre todas as variáveis independentes. Para a análise dos TMC e relação com as variáveis independentes, foi utilizada análise de regressão logística bivariada e a odds ratio (OR), que consiste na razão de chances de aquisição do agravo entre expostos e não expostos. Os resultados identificaram como preditoras dos transtornos mentais comuns as variáveis pouco tempo de intervalo; falta de suporte social; falta de autonomia; e escala de trabalho.

A Retrospective Medical Record Review to Describe Health Status and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors of Bus Drivers in South Africa

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally. The occupational challenges of bus drivers may increase their risk of CVD, including developing obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. We evaluated the medical records of 266 bus drivers visiting an occupational medical practice between 2007 and 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the health status of bus drivers and investigate risk factors for CVD, and their impact on the ability to work. The participants were in majority male (99.3%) with a median age of 41.2 years (IQR 35.2); 23.7% were smokers, and 27.1% consumed alcohol. The median body mass index (BMI) was 26.8 m/kg² (IQR 7.1), with 63.1% of participants having above normal BMI. Smoking, BMI, and hypertension findings were in line with national South African data, but diabetes prevalence was far lower. Undiagnosed hypertension was found in 9.4% of participants, uncontrolled hypertension in 5.6%, and diabetes in 3.0%. Analysis by BMI category found that obesity was significantly associated with increased odds of hypertension. Uncontrolled hypertension was the main reason for being deemed 'unfit to work' (35.3%). Our research highlights the need for more regular screening for hypertension and interventions to address high BMI.

The effects of personality and attitude on risky driving behaviour among public van drivers: hierarchical modelling

Background

Traffic injuries have become a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. Several studies have examined the role of personality and attitude toward traffic safety in predicting driving behaviors in diverse types of drivers. Few studies have investigated risky behavior among public passenger van drivers. This study aims to identify the predictors of self-reported risky driving behavior among public van drivers.

Method

A total of 410 public van drivers were interviewed at terminal stations in Bangkok. Hierarchical regression models were applied to determine the effects of demographics, personality traits, and attitude on self-reported risky driving behaviors.

Results

The results indicated that drivers with a high education level, more working days, and high scores for normlessness and anger were more likely to report risky driving behaviors (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The personality traits and attitude toward speeding account for aberrant self-reported risky driving behavior in passenger van drivers. This could be another empirical basis for evidence-based road safety interventions in the context of public transport.