A significant proportion of bus drivers are at high risk for developing obstructive sleep apnoea.

This finding was made in an oral presentation on the ‘Prevalence of the risk of obstructive sleep apnoea and related practices among bus drivers in the Kalutara District’ which was authored by K.N. Sugandhi, K.P.W. Sugandhi, M.J. Surenraj and A.G.V.A.K. Susantha (all four attached to the Colombo University's Medical Faculty) and D.M.S. Jayawardene (attached to the same University's Community Medicine Department) and presented at the 29th Annual Academic Sessions of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka and published in the 30th Volume of the Journal of the College, this month (August).

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder, which causes day-time sleepiness. In Sri Lanka, day-time sleepiness is one of the main reasons for road traffic accidents. 

Sugandhi et al.'s descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 bus drivers in the five main bus stands in the Kalutara District, namely, those at Kalutara South, Aluthgama, Mathugama, Horana and Panadura. Systematic sampling was carried out to collect data using an interviewer administered questionnaire. 

Among the bus drivers, 23/15.3% were at high risk for obstructive sleep apnoea. The risk for obstructive sleep apnoea was more among those more than 50-years-old, those with diabetes mellitus, hypertension and asthma. The majority (82/54.7%) had good practices towards obstructive sleep apnoea with 125/83.3% having good health seeking behaviour and 100/66.7% always avoiding driving in the case of the lack of sleep. However, 12/8% were never avoiding driving despite the lack of sleep, 48/32% were smoking and 79/52.7% were never exercising regularly. The number of working days per week was statistically significantly associated with practices concerning obstructive sleep apnoea.

A significant proportion of the bus drivers in the Kalutara District are at a high risk for developing obstructive sleep apnoea. Hence, a routine screening procedure for the early diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea should be implemented while improving the practices related to reducing the risk of obstructive sleep apnoea.