Abstract:
Objectives:
WMSDs are common among Bus Drivers since bus
driving requires repetitive
movements of the limbs/ head and long
-
term sitting in the same posture. Objectives of this
study were to determine the prevalence of WMSDs among bus
-
drivers at the Central Bus
Stand in Colombo and identify associated risk factor
s.
Methods:
A descriptive cross
-
sectional study was conducted using interviewer
-
administered
pre
-
tested questionnaire among bus drivers at the Central Bus Stand.
Results:
119 Government and 131 Private Sector drivers were questioned. M
ost of the
participa
nts (78.4%) suffered from different kinds of musculoskeletal pains. Of these 49.6%
of the participants suffered lower back pain, 38.1% from knee pain, 35.2% from shoulder
pain, 29.2% upper back pain, 25.2% neck pain, 25.2% ankle pain, 12.8% wrist pain, and
8%
from elbow pain.
Only 22.8% of bus
-
drivers have sought medical help.
20% were visiting
Western medicine doctors and 7.2% were taking Ayurveda treatment. 16.4% of bus drivers
took over the counter medicines without doctor’s prescription and 12.8% were t
aking alcohol
for pain relief.
The presence of pain was significantly related to driving in traffic (p=0.008) ,
type of seat (p= 0.009) and bus company (Govt /Pvt) (p=0.011) There was no correlation
between occurrence of pain and BMI of bus
-
drivers(p= 0.87
) ,total distance travelled per
month(p=
0.64),s
ize of the bus (p=
0.25), a
ge(p=
0.325).
25.6% of drivers were not satisfied
with the driving
-
seat, 16 % with the clutch, 4.8 % with gears, 4.4% with steering wheel.
There is no access to medical care at the Bus
Stand.
Conclusions:
Majority (78.4%) complained of pain affecting one or more areas. The most
prevalent areas were lower back, knee, shoulder, upper back, ankle and neck. Majority do not
take treatment. The only correlations with pain were travelling in
traffic, type of the seat and
bus company. Government policies to improve work conditions to reduce WMSDs need to be
in place as well as making available medical help onsite to bus driver
