Hábitos de vida e condições de saúde dos caminhoneiros do Brasil: uma revisão da literatura

Abstract

Introduction: Truck driving is an activity that can lead to health issues due to the unhealthy lifestyle inherent to the job demands and also due to practices which expose them to diseases. Sedentary lifestyle, inadequate habits, overweight and stressful activities are factors that contribute to disease development in this group of people.Objective: To review the life and health habits of truck drivers in Brazil.Materials and Methods: It was conducted a bibliographic database (MEDLINE) search through the Virtual Health Library site, using the keywords “truck”, “truck” and “truck driver”. The filter “year of publication” was applied, seeking only articles published since 2002. Articles were selected for originality and relevance, considering the adequacy of the design, sample size and link between its content and the research questions.Results: We identified 61 and included 18 studies that pointed to risk factors for chronic diseases, and the presence of these diseases in some truck drivers. It was also found that the trajectory of the truck driver interferes with their health because it makes them vulnerable to the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle habits, behavior that can be found in professionals subjected to similar conditions. Conclusion: The truck drivers have harmful lifestyle habits to health, such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, insufficient rest time, addictions (cigarettes and alcohol), and the use drugs, exposure to communicable diseases and the absence of periodic health control. These may be related to the diseases found in these professionals, such as high blood pressure, excess weight, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and infectious diseases.