| dc.description.abstract | many north americans are affected by mental health disorders (mhd) each year [1,2].
one of the most common mhds is major depression [1,2]. major depression has many costs for
the individual and the economy [3–5]. those with depression are more likely to experience
difficulties sleeping, chronic fatigue, poor physical health, and are at risk of committing suicide
when compared to non-depressed individuals [1,6,7]. the overall risk of mortality is higher
among those with depression than those without [5]. on the economic level, depression is
associated with an increased number of missed days at work (absenteeism) and poor productivity
at work (presenteeism) [5]. depression is estimated to cost the u.s. economy $36.6 billion per
year in lost worker productivity [5].
certain occupations put individuals at greater risk for depression than others. one of
these occupations includes long-haul truck drivers. the risk of depression in trucking is higher
when compared to at least 19 other occupational types [1,2,8–11]. long-haul truck driving
involves delivering freight to distant locations [12,13]. truckers are usually on the road for
several days at a time [14]. many also drive overnight and are often alone during their shifts and
their work breaks [14,15]. they also experience tight delivery timeliness and are often paid
based on how far they drive, or how much freight they can deliver [13,16]. the working
conditions of long-haul truckers can result in feels of social isolation and can lead to poor sleep
and fatigue [14,15,17]. many truckers have also reported that they experience stress due to tight
and unrealistic delivery deadlines, poor road conditions, and violence at work [16]. | en_us |
