![Sample our Economics, Finance,Business & Industry journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5931/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Economics-Finance-Business-Industry.jpg"})
Abstract
Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been identified as one of the significant risk factors for motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). In the interest of public safety, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of OSA and its associated factors among express bus drivers in Malaysia. Identifying factors or conditions related with OSA is very important because they can be used as indicators to subject a person to a confirmatory diagnosis using polysomnography testing.
Methods: Two hundred eighty-nine randomly selected express bus drivers from 5 express bus companies participated in the study. Information on demography, medical history, clinical symptoms, and signs of OSA were collected by a designated medical officer and the diagnosis of OSA was done based on the Apnea Hypopnoea Index (AHI) from polysomnography testing.
Results: Based on AHI, 128 (44.3%) subjects were diagnosed as having OSA with 83 (28.7%), 26 (9.0%), and 26 (6.6%) classified as mild, moderate, and severe OSA, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis results showed that age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.09), snoring (OR = 3.54, 95% CI 1.91–6.57), body mass index (BMI; OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.09–1.25), hypertension (OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.02–3.40), and neck circumference (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.18–1.46) were significantly associated with OSA status.
Conclusions: The results supported the need for identifying the risk group for OSA among express bus drivers and the need to diagnose them early for an early intervention.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to express our appreciation to the Director General of Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) for his support in this study. Our appreciation also goes to the Research and Ethic Committee of MIROS and UKM Medical Centre for approving the study. Last but not least, our special thanks to those who involved in data collection, which included medical officers, research assistants, and staff nurses of the clinical research wards at the UKM Medical Centre.
