Department: Family and Preventive Medicine

E-mail: kurt.hegmann@hsc.utah.edu
Address: 391 Chipeta Way, Suite C, Salt Lake City, UT d 84108
Phone: 587-3333

Research Title: Commercial Truck Driver Health and Safety: Preventing Injury and Illness

Description of Research:

This study of commercial truck drivers will address the prevention of poor health status, injuries, chronic illnesses and diseases by: Aim (1) identifying risk factors and prevalence of these problems among 2,000 commercial drivers from a cross sectional study drawn from many companies in 2 diverse states, also including a nested case-control study of vibration and low back pain, Aim (2) comparing the most recent Commercial Driver Medical Examination (CDME) results with additional questions, blood tests and urinalyses for potential improvements in the CDME, and Aim (3) developing and pilot-testing a truck driver health promotion program (Worksite Health, Eating and Exercising for the Long Haul, WHEEL). This study is designed to emphasize the individual factors that shorten truck driver‚s careers, result in shortened CDL certifications (less than the 2-year maximum), and provide risks for motor vehicle crashes and other injuries.

Aim 1. The spectrum of problems we are investigating includes the most common reasons for driver restrictions: diabetes mellitus, obesity, physical inactivity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, tobacco use, sleep disorders, low back pain and over the counter and prescription medication use. Methods will include electronically administered questionnaires in small groups; measured height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, neck/chest/waist/hip circumferences, urinalyses, and blood testing for fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, lipid profile, and highly sensitive C-reactive protein. Questions will include self-reported motor vehicle crashes, near-miss crashes, and administrative records of crashes. We will conduct a nested case-control study of vibration exposures (random selection of 50 cases with and 100 controls without low back pain matched on gender, age and hours of driving) to assess effects of measured vibration on back pain.

Aim 2. Each subject‚s most recent CDME information will be evaluated by a blinded panel of physicians to categorize certification status. They will also separately categorize the CDME status based upon all measures from the entire battery of results from this study. Those factors found to be most important in changing certification status will be the highest candidates for recommendations to improve the CDME.

Does this research involve human subjects or animals? Yes

If yes, what is the protocol number? 22252

11/2008