Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among professional drivers in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND:Professional drivers in Saudi Arabia may be at increased risk for mental illness because of their expatriate status, long driving hours, and unhealthy lifestyles. OBJECTIVE:To assess the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among professional drivers in Saudi Arabia, most of whom are expatriates. METHODS:Professional drivers (n = 324) were interviewed after convenient sampling of transportation companies. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was used to screen for depressive symptoms. Correlates of depressive symptoms were identified using Cox regression with a fixed follow-up time. RESULTS:Of the drivers, 20.4% had moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Sleep quality was found to be a significant independent correlate of depressive symptoms. Drivers with poor and fair sleep quality had higher risk of depressive symptoms than drivers with excellent sleep quality (poor: OR = 5.8, CI: 1.95-17.11; fair: OR = 4.5, CI: 1.68-11.96). CONCLUSION:The frequency of depressive symptoms among professional drivers in Saudi Arabia is high (one out of five). Companies should consider screening for depressive symptoms and sleep disorders among employees and should provide referrals as needed.