Burnout, workplace violence and social support among drivers and conductors in the road passenger transport sector in Maputo City, Mozambique

Understanding passenger hostility in transit: a systematic review

Passenger hostility is commonplace in the transit industry. However, research investigating this job stressor is limited in both scope and quality. This systematic review examines three questions regarding passenger hostility: (a) what is its occurrence (incidence and prevalence); (b) what are its consequences; and (c) what factors are related to its occurrence, intensity, or consequences? Six databases were searched for studies published between 2010 and 2020 reporting the occurrence, consequences, or correlates of passenger hostility directed toward transit workers. Risk of bias was categorized using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. Results were summarized in tables and narratively synthesized. Nineteen eligible studies (10 quantitative and nine qualitative or mixed methods) were identified. Evidence from 14 studies indicated that passenger hostility occurs frequently, and is often underreported, especially in its less severe forms. Sixteen studies reported correlates of the occurrence, intensity, or consequences of hostility, with these grouped into worker, passenger, organizational, environmental, and event categories. Immediate and long-term impacts were identified in ten studies. This review contributes to understanding the likely antecedents, correlates and consequences of passenger hostility directed at transit industry workers. It also highlights some common methodological limitations in past research and proposes solutions to them. As such, the paper provides suggestions for future explorations and intervention targets aimed at reducing this common workplace stressor.

Trajectories of Job Burnout among Bus Drivers in China: A Three-Year Follow-Up Study

This study aimed to characterize job burnout in longitudinal trajectories among bus drivers and examine the impact of variables related to job burnout for trajectories. A longitudinal study was conducted in 12,793 bus drivers in Guangdong province, China, at 3-year follow-up assessments. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to estimate latent classes of burnout trajectories and multinomial logistic regression models were applied to predict membership in the trajectory classes. In general, there was a decrease in job burnout in 3 years [slope = -0.29, 95%CI = (-0.32, -0.27)]. Among those sub-dimensions, reduced personal accomplishment accounted for the largest proportion. GMM analysis identified five trajectory groups: (1) moderate-decreased (n = 2870, 23%), (2) low-stable (n = 5062, 39%), (3) rapid-decreased (n = 141, 1%), (4) moderate-increased (n = 1504, 12%), and (5) high-stable (n = 3216, 25%). Multinomial logistic regression estimates showed that depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and insomnia were significant negative predictors, while daily physical exercise was a significantly positive predictor. We found an overall downward trend in bus drivers' burnout, particularly in the sub-dimension of personal accomplishment. Mentally healthier drivers and those who were usually exercising were more resilient to occupational stress and less likely to suffer burnout.

Conflicts between bus drivers and passengers in Changsha, China

Bus safety represents an important topic for injury prevention. When drivers experience conflict with their passengers, it likely distracts them from the driving task, both physically and mentally, and jeopardizes the safety of all passengers. However, detailed information concerning the frequency and type of conflicts between bus drivers and passengers is unavailable. We conducted a driver-reported cross-sectional survey to investigate the characteristics of driver-passenger conflict in the past month. The survey was completed in Changsha city, China in August 2019. In total, 779 bus drivers were surveyed. Of 732 drivers who completed the questionnaire, 635 (86.7%; 95% confidence interval: 84.3-89.1%) drivers reported experiencing at least one conflict with passengers in the past month. After adjusting for other demographic variables, drivers who were male, younger, less educated, less experienced as a bus driver, and with a comparatively high self-reported work intensity were more likely to report experiencing conflicts. Of the reported conflicts, verbal quarrels and abuses were most common, followed by "passengers attacked driver with physical objects like sticks or knives" and "passengers spat on or threw objects toward the driver". Most drivers reported that they had experienced only conflicts causing no physical injury or financial loss in the past month, but a small portion experienced conflicts causing injuries to themselves. The most frequent reasons for driver-passenger conflicts were "passenger refused to pay fare", "passenger requested to get off the bus at a location that was not a bus stop", and "passenger was drunk or deliriously attacked the driver". Bus drivers responded to some of the passengers' verbal or physical attacks, but not all. Some preventive measures were adopted frequently by bus companies (e.g., bus alarms, protective shields for drivers) but others were not. Least often adopted were efforts to offer safety training for drivers (46.6%) and to offer psychological counseling services for drivers (39.1%). We conclude that bus driver-passenger conflicts are common in Changsha city, China. The conflicts impose a substantial threat to the safety of both drivers and passengers. We recommend multiple preventive actions to reduce driver-passenger conflicts and improve bus safety.

Age, gender, personality, burnout, job characteristics and job content as predictors of driver fatigue

Objectives. Several studies have shown that one of the most common causes of collision is driver fatigue since fatigue causes drowsiness while driving and this decreases the driver's ability to maneuver the vehicle and increases the probability of their nodding off and falling asleep at the wheel. This may be due to a variety of personal reasons and specific factors connected to working conditions. In the present work we therefore intend to develop a predictive model for fatigue in professional drivers using the following indicators: age, gender, personality, burnout, characteristics and job content. Method. The participants were 516 professional drivers from different transport sectors, obtained through non-probabilistic sampling. SPSS version 25.0 was used for data analysis. Results. The predictive capacity of a number of variables that affect drivers by causing fatigue is determined. Fatigue can be predicted through certain variables, with the best predictor being exhaustion (48.8%). Conclusions. This research contributes to a greater knowledge of the factors that produce fatigue in professional drivers. It highlights the importance of designing interventions to reduce the incidence of fatigue, resulting in greater well-being for the driver and a lower incidence of collisions.

Variables that predict burnout in professional drivers

Objectives. Stress maintained over time leads to a state of exhaustion known as burnout syndrome. This syndrome constitutes an occupational health problem, leading to high absenteeism. It can also mean that workers come to the workplace feeling unwell, which increases occupational collisions and injuries at work. In this study, we developed a predictive model of burnout in professional drivers using the following indicators: age, hours worked, seniority, educational level, fatigue, personality, attitudes toward driving, safety behaviors in the vehicle, and work characteristics and content. Method. A total of 523 professional drivers from different transport sectors, obtained through non-probability sampling, participated in the study. We used SPSS version 25.0 to analyze the data. Results. We determined the predictive capacity of certain variables that affect drivers and cause burnout. Exhaustion can be predicted with fatigue (48.8%), professional efficiency with emotional stability (39.8%) and cynicism with lack of motivation (28%) as the best predictors. Conclusions. The results contribute to a better knowledge of those factors that cause burnout in professional drivers. It is important to design individual interventions to reduce burnout, which would help reduce sick leave and possible collisions, in addition to providing greater well-being for drivers.

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

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between driver-passenger communicative stress and psychological distress among bus drivers, as well as whether job burnout mediates the effect of driver-passenger communicative stress on psychological distress.

METHODS

A questionnaire consisting of a 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), a one-item driver-passenger communicative stress scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), as well as sociodemographic and work factors, was distributed to 310 bus drivers in Shanghai, of which 307 completed it (99.0% response rate). A parallel multiple mediation model with bootstrap approach, was calculated to test the mediating effect.

RESULTS

Driver-passenger communicative stress, emotional exhaustion and cynicism were positively associated with psychological distress. Communicative stress was significantly positively linked with two of the three dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion and cynicism) and dependent variable. Emotional exhaustion and cynicism were positively associated with the dependent variable. The results indicate that emotional exhaustion and cynicism partially mediated the effect of communicative stress on psychological health, and that 60.0% of this effect can be explained by mediating effects, in which emotional exhaustion and cynicism weighed 63.2% and 36.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Communicative stress had effects on psychological distress among Chinese bus drivers, and job burnout was a mediator in this relationship.

Influence that job characteristics, personality and burnout have on fatigue in professional drivers

Objectives. Professional drivers drive for many hours without rest. This factor, in addition to the characteristics of the job, the vehicle, the environment and the driver, causes driver fatigue. Fatigue is one of the most common risk factors when driving because it causes drowsiness, decreases drivers' attention and may make them fall asleep at the wheel. In this article we propose a predictive model for professional drivers using the following variables: age, number of children, time spent at work, time spent inside the vehicle, personality, job characteristics (JDS), job content (JCQ) and burnout. Method. Participants were 509 professional drivers from various transport sectors recruited by non-probabilistic sampling. SPSS version 25.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results. The predictive capacity of variables that cause driver fatigue was determined. Exhaustion best predicts fatigue positively, while openness to experience best predicts it negatively. Burnout and certain personality characteristics are good predictors, whereas other variables, such as JCQ and JDS, are weak predictors. Conclusions. This study extends our knowledge of the factors that cause fatigue in professional drivers and underlines the importance of designing interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of fatigue, promoting greater driver well-being and lowering the incidence of accidents.

The effect of workplace violence on depression among medical staff in China: the mediating role of interpersonal distrust

OBJECTIVE

Workplace violence has been recognized globally as a serious occupational hazard in health service occupations, and existing studies have identified that workplace violence can significantly lead to depression. Interpersonal distrust, an important topic, has also been proved associated with workplace violence and depression. However, the mediating effect of interpersonal distrust has not been tested before. Results of such testing can help us to understand further the effect mechanism of workplace violence on depression.

METHODS

In the current study, we collected 3426 valid questionnaires based on a cross-sectional design distributed among medical staff in Chinese hospitals. Depression, workplace violence, interpersonal distrust, social support, physical diseases, and some other social-demographic variables were evaluated. SPSS macros program (PROCESS v3.3) was used to test the mediating effect of interpersonal distrust on the association between workplace violence and depression.

RESULTS

The data analyzed in the current study demonstrated that 52.2% of medical staff had experienced workplace violence before. Experiencing verbal violence (β = 2.99, p < 0.001), experiencing physical violence (β = 3.70, p < 0.01), experiencing both kinds of violence (β = 4.84, p < 0.001), high levels of interpersonal distrust (β = 0.22, p < 0.001), working as a nurse (β = 1.10, p < 0.05), working as a manager (β =  - 1.72, p < 0.001), suffering physical disease (β = 3.35, p < 0.001), and receiving social support (β =  - 0.23, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with depression. Workplace violence had not only positive direct effects on depression, but also an indirect effect on depression through interpersonal distrust as a mediator.

CONCLUSION

Interpersonal distrust can mediate the association between workplace violence and depression. Increasing interpersonal trust or reducing workplace violence would be beneficial to promoting mental health status among medical staff.

Effect of Workplace Violence on Turnover Intention: The Mediating Roles of Job Control, Psychological Demands, and Social Support

Exposing nursing staff to workplace violence workplace violence (WV) affects their psychological, emotional, and physical health; engenders increased workload; affects the medical reciprocity between nurses and patients; and ultimately leads to staff turnover intention. To preventing WV, development of intervention strategies and WV prevention measures are crucial. This study discusses the mediating effect of job control, psychological needs, and social support on WV and turnover intention. Through this discussion, this study aims to aid medical institutions in reducing their nursing staff turnover rate and to provide a reference for hospital management and decision making. A cross-sectional research method was adopted and conducted quantitative research to prove the complexity of the relationship between WV and turnover intention. Participants comprised clinical nurses working in 2 regional teaching hospital in central Taiwan. A total of 268 questionnaires were distributed, and 213 completed questionnaires were returned. Of the returned questionnaires, 198 contained valid responses, yielding a response rate of 73.9%. Our results demonstrated the mechanisms through which psychological demands and social support mediate the relationship between WV and turnover intention. This study determined the mediating effects of psychological demands and social support. The results expand the findings of previous research and demonstrate the complexity of the relationship between WV and turnover intention. Hospitals should formulate effective mechanisms for preventing and addressing incidents of WV, improve their ability to address and regulate violent incidents in clinics, reduce the psychological pressure exerted on employees, and establish communication channels for social support.

The impact of workplace violence on job satisfaction, job burnout, and turnover intention: the mediating role of social support

BACKGROUND

Workplace violence (WPV) is a global public health problem and has caused a serious threat to the physical and mental health of healthcare workers. Moreover, WPV also has an adverse effect on the workplace behavior of healthcare workers. This study has three purposes: (1) to identify the prevalence of workplace violence against physicians; (2) to examine the association between exposure to WPV, job satisfaction, job burnout and turnover intention of Chinese physicians and (3) to verify the mediating role of social support.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study adopted a purposive sampling method to collect data from March 2017 through May 2017. A total of nine tertiary hospitals in four provinces, which provide healthcare from specialists in a large hospital after referral from primary and secondary care, were selected as research sites based on their geographical locations in the eastern, central and western regions of China. Descriptive analyses, a univariate analysis, a Pearson correlation, and a mediation regression analysis were used to estimate the prevalence of WPV and impact of WPV on job satisfaction, job burnout, and turnover intention.

RESULTS

WPV was positively correlated with turnover intention (r = 0.238, P < 0.01) and job burnout (r = 0.150, P < 0.01), and was negatively associated with job satisfaction (r = - 0.228, P < 0.01) and social support (r = - 0.077, P < 0.01). Social support was a partial mediator between WPV and job satisfaction, as well as burnout and turnover intention.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show a high prevalence of workplace violence in Chinese tertiary hospitals, which should not be ignored. The effects of social support on workplace behaviors suggest that it has practical implications for interventions to promote the stability of physicians' teams.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

(Project Identification Code: HMUIRB2014005), Registered March 1, 2014.

Dangers on the road: A longitudinal examination of passenger-initiated violence against bus drivers

This study examined the impact of workplace violence against 109 bus drivers over a 1-year span. Workplace violence is related to both psychological and work-related consequences. Our findings showed that bus drivers experienced a wide range of violence at work and the psychological consequences were devastating: Half of the participants met the diagnostic criteria for acute stress disorder within the first month following the index event. Majority of them experienced at least moderate levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) problems over the 1-year span. About 9.3% of participants showed a delayed onset of PTSD 6 months after. Furthermore, counter-supportive behaviours and reexposure to violence played important roles in the maintenance of PTSD symptoms over time. Even though PTSD symptoms per se did not relate to bus driver's confidence in coping with aggressive passengers, the immediate post-traumatic reaction-symptoms of acute stress disorder-showed a significant long-term negative effect on bus drivers' confidence in dealing with aggressive passengers 12 months after. This study provided empirical evidence of the changing nature of PTSD symptoms over time among bus drivers.

Working Conditions, Job Strain, and Traffic Safety among Three Groups of Public Transport Drivers

Background

Working conditions and psychosocial work factors have acquired an important role explaining the well-being and performance of professional drivers, including those working in the field of public transport. This study aimed to examine the association between job strain and the operational performance of public transport drivers and to compare the expositions with psychosocial risk at work of three different types of transport workers: taxi drivers, city bus drivers, and interurban bus drivers.

Method

A sample of 780 professional drivers was drawn from three transport companies in Bogota (Colombia). The participants answered the Job Content Questionnaire and a set of sociodemographic and driving performance questions, including age, professional driving experience, work schedules, and accidents and penalties suffered in the last 2 years.

Results

Analyses showed significant associations between measures of socio-labor variables and key performance indicators such road traffic accidents and penalties. Furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis contributed to explain significantly suffered accidents from key variables of the Job Demand-Control model, essentially from job strain. In addition, throughout post-hoc analyses, significant differences were found in terms of perceived social support, job strain, and job insecurity.

Conclusion

Work stress is an issue that compromises the safety of professional drivers. This research provides evidence supporting a significant effect of job strain on the professional driver's performance. Moreover, the statistically significant differences between taxi drivers, city bus drivers, and interurban bus drivers in their expositions to work-related stress suggest the need for tailored occupational safety interventions on each occupational group.

The impact of work-related physical assaults on mental health among Japanese employees with different socioeconomic status: The Japan Work Stress and Health Cohort Study (JSTRESS)

Background

Work-related physical assaults or violence has severely impacted on the safety of the work environment and employees’ mental health. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of physical assaults, the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on it and depression associated with it in employees working at large companies.

Methods

A total of 22,770 Japanese employees responded to a self-administered questionnaire including SES (educational status and occupational status), violence victimization, worksite social support and depression (response rate, 85%). The 12-month prevalence of physical assaults and depression was examined using a single question and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, respectively.

Results

The prevalence of physical assaults was 1.8% both in males and females. Although the risk of exposure to physical assaults was 2–3 times higher in the blue-collar group than in the manager group, the association of exposure to physical assaults with depression was stronger in the manager and white-collar worker group (Prevalence ratio [PR]=2.1 in males; 1.8 in females) than in the blue-collar worker group (PR=1.7 in males; 1.5 in females) after adjusting demographic and occupational covariates. A similar pattern was observed for education in males; the association was stronger than in the lower education group (PR=2.1 and 1.8).

Conclusions

Low SES is a risk factor of exposure to physical assaults, however, the association of physical assaults with depression was significantly greater among company employees of higher SES than those of lower SES.

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1.8% of Japanese employees experience physical assaults during working time.

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Employees with low SES are at high risk for exposure to physical assaults.

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The impact of violence on depression is greater among employees with high SES.

Drivers' and conductors' views on the causes and ways of preventing workplace violence in the road passenger transport sector in Maputo City, Mozambique

Background

Workplace violence (WPV) is an occupational health hazard in both low and high income countries. To design WPV prevention programs, prior knowledge and understanding of conditions in the targeted population are essential. This study explores and describes the views of drivers and conductors on the causes of WPV and ways of preventing it in the road passenger transport sector in Maputo City, Mozambique.

Methods

The design was qualitative. Participants were purposefully selected from among transport workers identified as victims of WPV in an earlier quantitative study, and with six or more years of experience in the transport sector. Data were collected in semi-structured interviews. Seven open questions covered individual views on causes of WPV and its prevention, based on the interviewees' experiences of violence while on duty. Thirty-two transport professionals were interviewed. The data were analyzed by means of qualitative content analysis.

Results

The triggers and causes of violence included fare evasion, disputes over revenue owing to owners, alcohol abuse, overcrowded vehicles, and unfair competition for passengers. Failures to meet passenger expectations, e.g. by-passing parts of a bus route or missing stops, were also important. There was disrespect on the part of transport workers, e.g. being rude to passengers and jumping of queues at taxi ranks, and there were also robberies. Proposals for prevention included: training for workers on conflict resolution, and for employers on passenger-transport administration; and, promoting learning among passengers and workers on how to behave when traveling collectively. Regarding control and supervision, there were expressed needs for the recording of mileage, and for the sanctioning of workers who transgress queuing rules at taxi ranks. The police or supervisors should prevent drunken passengers from getting into vehicles, and drivers should refuse to go to dangerous, secluded neighborhoods. Finally, there is a need for an institution to judge alleged cases of employees not handing over demanded revenues to their employer.

Conclusions

The causes of WPV lie in problems regarding money, behavior, environment, organization and crime. Suggestions for prevention include education, control to avoid critical situations, and a judicial system to assess malpractices. Further research in the road passenger transport sector in Maputo City, Mozambique and similar settings is warranted.