Taxi cab syndrome: a review of the extensive genitourinary pathology experienced by taxi cab drivers and what we can do to help

Abstract

This review consolidates knowledge regarding the extensive genitourinary pathology experienced by taxi cab drivers. Taxi cab, livery, truck, and other drivers all objectively and subjectively may have more voiding dysfunction, infertility, urolithiasis, bladder cancer, and urinary infections as compared with nonprofessional drivers; this is called taxi cab syndrome. Together with governmental and medical assistance, simple interventions-such as education, the addition of taxi relief stations, and possibly the use of sanitary urinary collection devices-to curb the progression of genitourinary disease in taxi drivers should be prospectively studied. It is postulated that many of these interventions may also benefit other groups of occupationally related infrequent voiders.

Keywords: Infertility; Infrequent voiders syndrome; Occupational hazard; Prostodynia; Taxi cab syndrome; Urolithiasis; Voiding dysfunction.