Occupational health risks and livelihood challenges among professional drivers in Bangladesh

Professional drivers in Bangladesh face critical occupational health hazards due to long working hours, low income, and inadequate rest. This study investigates major risk factors associated with low back pain, musculoskeletal pain and sleep disturbances among the drivers. This is a cross-sectional study conducted among professional drivers in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Cumilla using stratified random sampling. Data were collected from 373 respondents with a 96.88% response rate through a structured, close-ended questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence, and the Chi-square test was used to show the association, along with the multivariate regression model to identify the factors associated with livelihood and health outcomes such as low back pain, sleep disturbances and muscular pain. The study found 66.5% of drivers face the problem of low back pain, followed by muscular pain (58.7%) and sleep disturbances (46.6%). Long working hours, working more than 3–< 6 days a week, low income, and driving ≥ 14 hours were significantly associated with all three adverse health conditions. The drivers’ average monthly income was 22,120 BDT, and over one-third of them (33.5%) were in the 15,000–< 20,000 BDT income range. The average daily working hours were 9.25 hours per day, with most (62.2%) of the drivers working between 8–< 14 hours. The study found that poor working conditions, long hours, and high burden of disease prevalence significantly affect drivers’ health. Addressing these issues through safety policies and health programs is essential for improving drivers’ well-being and ensuring a safer, more stable transport system.