The Impact of Working Time Quality on the Health of Uruguayan Road Transport Drivers

Introduction: Working time quality goes beyond its duration, encompassing factors such as organization and predictability. Alongside environmental and personal elements, working time quality affects drivers' exposure to risk factors linked to common chronic diseases. In the road transport industry, poor working time quality is prevalent, characterized by long working hours often extended without the opportunity to return home, pressure to meet tight schedules, and prolonged waiting times for picking up or dropping off loads-issues frequently beyond workers' control. The primary objective of this study was to examine the influence of working time quality on the health of Uruguayan road transport drivers.

Methods: In collaboration with the labor union and the industry chamber, paper-based questionnaires were distributed nationwide to bus and truck drivers. The questionnaires addressed sociodemographic data, several aspects of working time quality, and perceived mental health, which were measured using the Goldberg Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ- 28) Likert scale. Information on absences over the past year was also gathered.

Results: A total of 141 road transport drivers with complete data were included in the analysis. The sample was predominantly male (98.6%), with a mean age of 45.4 ± 9.8 years. Most participants were truck drivers (81.6%), averaging 18.7 ± 9.8 years of driving experience. On average, drivers reported working 12.1 ± 2.7 hours per day (78.6 ± 20.6% of which was spent driving) and covering 416.0 ± 233.4 km daily. The majority (80.1%) reported occasional or frequent nighttime driving, and 85.1% indicated irregular work days or hours, with 92.5% noting that such changes were often communicated at short notice and/or caused disruptions with their personal life. The mean GHQ-28 score was 18.1 ± 9.8, with 66.7% of participants classified as cases (>12). No significant association was found between daily working time duration or kilometers covered and perceived health (all p>0.05). However, nighttime driving was associated with poorer perceived health (mean estimated increase of 5.4 ± 2.2 in GHQ-28, p = 0.015), though it did not affect the percentage of cases (p = 0.1). Irregular working time was nearly positively associated with higher GHQ-28 scores (mean estimated increase of 4.7 ± 2.5, p = 0.062), and was linked to a 2.5-fold increase in the odds of being classified as a case (p < 0.05). Additionally, a 1-point rise in GHQ-28 score was associated with a 3.6% increase in the odds of reporting absences (p = 0.041), and being classified as a case increased the odds of reporting absences by 2.5 times (p = 0.038).

Conclusion: A broader definition of working time is essential for understanding the impact of working conditions on health inequalities. Therefore, it is crucial to expand and update government regulations to incorporate evidence on the health effects of various aspects of working time quality. Support: This research was supported by the Comisión Sectorial de Investigación Científica de la Universidad de la República.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
08. Oktober 2025