Navigating the Road to Resilience (RR): understanding the work environment's influence on mental health among Indian truck drivers.

Abstract

Objectives: This paper explores the prevalence and factors contributing to depression among truck drivers in India. The aim is to identify specific factors associated with depression in this population and to provide suggestions for mitigating these factors.

Methods: The study employs an observational cross-sectional analytical approach to explore truck drivers on National Highways through Jaipur, Rajasthan. It explored how work routine, workspace conditions, and family/social engagement impact depression. Variables included work hours, rest breaks, driving conditions, and social factors like police harassment. A sample of 300 drivers was selected using Probability Proportional to Size sampling from four randomly chosen halt points, based on average truck traffic, meeting criteria like experience and vehicle type.

Results: The study surveyed truck drivers aged 22-56 years (average 35, SD = 6.6) and identified significant associations between depression and factors like working hours (χ2 = 51.227, p = .000), police humiliation (χ2 = 21.740, p = .000), workspace distraction (χ2 = 89.463, p = .000), and uncomfortable workspace conditions (χ2 = 7.997, p = .005). Age (χ2 = 3.083, p = .079) and marital status (χ2 = 1.782, p = .182) were not significant. Job satisfaction (B = 1.813, p = .001) and supervisor support (B = 1.156, p = .018) were significantly linked to depression.

Conclusions: The study concludes that multiple factors significantly influence the likelihood of experiencing depression among truck drivers. Based on these findings, several recommendations are proposed to help reduce depression rates in this population. These include making mental health services readily available and accessible, implementing strict regulations on working hours to prevent excessive fatigue, and preventing police humiliation and abuse. This research contributes to the growing concern about the mental health of truck drivers in India and underscores the need for effective interventions to address these issues comprehensively.