Increasing healthy lifestyle behaviors in cargo drivers

The purpose of this project was to examine the extent to which lifestyle behaviors of transportation drivers in North Texas can be improved with health education. This research study was conducted to examine the health behaviors of transportation drivers as a result of an educational partnership between nursing and the transportation industry. The goal was to improve healthy lifestyles through education to decrease chronic illness and comorbid conditions of a significantly at-risk occupational population. The impact of this education was immediate and verified with quantitative measurement and statistical analysis. Results demonstrated that after nurse-led health education, transportation drivers reported significant changes in health responsibility, nutrition, and physical activity. Key recommendations for transportation employers to improve driver health, extend the careers of experienced drivers, and contain insurance costs associated with worker’s compensation, disability, and health include (a) instituting employee health education programs, (b) encouraging and incentivizing participation in health and wellness programs, and (c) examining further dynamic education opportunities to improve the health of transportation drivers.