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Meta-Analysis
. 2018 May 30;15(6):1121.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph15061121.

Patterns of Harmful Alcohol Consumption among Truck Drivers: Implications for Occupational Health and Work Safety from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Nicola Luigi Bragazzi  1 , Guglielmo Dini  2   3 , Alessandra Toletone  4 , Alborz Rahmani  5 , Alfredo Montecucco  6 , Emanuela Massa  7 , Alessia Manca  8 , Ottavia Guglielmi  9 , Sergio Garbarino  10 , Nicoletta Debarbieri  11   12 , Paolo Durando  13   14
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Patterns of Harmful Alcohol Consumption among Truck Drivers: Implications for Occupational Health and Work Safety from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Nicola Luigi Bragazzi et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Alcohol consumption is one of the main causes of productivity losses arising from absenteeism, presenteeism, and workplace injuries. Among occupational categories most affected by the use of this substance, truck drivers are subject to risk factors and risky behaviors that can have a serious impact on their health, their work, and the general road safety. The use of alcohol during truck-driving activities is, indeed, an important risk factor for traffic accidents. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aims at synthesizing the literature regarding harmful alcohol consumption patterns among truck drivers in a rigorous way. A 'binge drinking' prevalence of 19.0%, 95% confidence interval or CI (13.1, 26.9) was present. An 'everyday drinking' pattern rate of 9.4%, 95% CI (7.0, 12.4) was found, while the rate of alcohol misuse according to the "Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test" (AUDIT)-"Cut down-Annoyed-Guilty-Eye opener questionnaire" (CAGE) instruments was computed to be of 22.7%, 95% CI (14.8, 33.0). No evidence of publication bias could be found. However, there is the need to improve the quality of published research, utilizing standardized reliable instruments. The knowledge of these epidemiological data can be useful for decision makers in order to develop, design, and implement ad hoc adequate policies.

Keywords: harmful use of alcohol; occupational health and well-being; systematic review and meta-analysis; truck-drivers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow-chart of the current systematic review and meta-analysis of alcohol consumption rate among truck drivers.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot for binge drinking among truck-drivers.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Meta-regression analysis showing statistically significant different binge drinking patterns in Brazil (BRA) and in the United States (USA), among truck-drivers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Meta-regression analysis for marriage (in percentage) among truck-drivers, showing that there is a statistically significant association between marital status and binge drinking (i.e., a higher marriage percentage correlated with a lower binge drinking pattern rate).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Funnel plot for binge drinking among truck-drivers, showing no evidence of publication bias.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Forest plot for “everyday drinking” consumption rate among truck-drivers.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Funnel plot for “everyday drinking” consumption rate among truck-drivers, showing no evidence of publication bias.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Forest plot for positivity to AUDIT-CAGE instruments rate among truck-drivers.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Funnel plot for alcohol consumption rate among truck-drivers based on the AUDIT-CAGE instruments, showing no evidence of publication bias.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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