Work-life conflict among U.S. long-haul truck drivers: Influences of work organization, perceived job stress, sleep, and organizational support

Keywords

Job stress; Long-haul truck drivers; Occupational health disparities; Sleep; Work organization; Work-life balance

Abstract

Work-life balance and job stress are critical to health and well-being. Long-haul truck driving (LHTD) is among the unhealthiest and most unsafe occupations in the U.S. Despite these disparities, there are no extant published studies examining the influence of work, stress and sleep outcomes on drivers’ work-life balance. The current study investigated whether adverse work organization, stress, and poor sleep health among LHTDs are significantly associated with work-life conflict. Logistic regression was used to examine how work organization characteristics, job stress, and sleep influenced perceived stress and a composite measure of work-life conflict among a sample of 260 U.S. LHTDs. The pattern of regression results dictated subsequent analyses using structural equation modeling (SEM). Perceived job stress was the only statistically significant predictor for work-life balance. Fast pace of work, sleep duration and sleep quality were predictors of perceived job stress. SEM further elucidated that stress mediates the influences of fast work pace, supervisor/coworker support, and low sleep duration on each of the individual work-life balance indicators. There is an urgent need to address work conditions of LHTDs to better support their health, well-being, and work-life balance. Specifically, the findings from this study illustrate that scheduling practices and sleep outcomes could alleviate job stress and need to be addressed to more effectively support work-life balance. Future research and interventions should focus on policy and systems-level change.

Publication Date

3-2-2019

Publication Title

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Volume

16

Issue

6

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16060984

Socpus ID

85063638992 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85063638992

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS