Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers: Using Evidence-Based Practice to Identify Risk Factors

• Published in: AAOHN journal Vol. 61; no. 11; pp. 479 - 485
• Main Authors: Olszewski, Kimberly, Wolf, Debra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC 01.11.2013
• Subjects: Adult; Automobile Driving - statistics & numerical data; Body mass index; Diabetes; Evidence-Based Practice; Female; Humans; Intrastate commerce; Male; Medical screening; Motor carriers; Motor Vehicles; Nursing; Occupational health; Occupational Health Nursing - methods; Occupational safety; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Sleep apnea; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - diagnosis; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - epidemiology; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - nursing; Sleep disorders; Task forces; Truck drivers; Vehicles; United States > US
• ISSN: 2165-0799; 2165-0969
• DOI: 10.3928/21650799-20131016-03

Commercial motor vehicle driving is a hazardous occupation, having the third highest fatality rate among common U.S. jobs. Among the estimated 14 million U.S. commercial motor vehicle drivers, the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea is reported to be 17% to 28%. Despite the identified increased prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea among commercial motor vehicle drivers, federal law does not require that they be screened for obstructive sleep apnea. This article presents an evidence-based practice change project; the authors developed, implemented, and evaluated a screening program to identify commercial motor vehicle drivers’ risk for obstructive sleep apnea during commercial driver medical examinations. The results of this practice change indicated screening for obstructive sleep apnea during the commercial driver medical examination led to improved identification of obstructive sleep apnea risk among commercial motor vehicle drivers and should be a clinical standard in occupational health clinics. [Commercial motor vehicle driving is a hazardous occupation, having the third highest fatality rate among common U.S. jobs. Among the estimated 14 million U.S. commercial motor vehicle drivers, the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea is reported to be 17% to 28%. Despite the identified increased prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea among commercial motor vehicle drivers, federal law does not require that they be screened for obstructive sleep apnea. This article presents an evidence-based practice change project; the authors developed, implemented, and evaluated a screening program to identify commercial motor vehicle drivers’ risk for obstructive sleep apnea during commercial driver medical examinations. The results of this practice change indicated screening for obstructive sleep apnea during the commercial driver medical examination led to improved identification of obstructive sleep apnea risk among commercial motor vehicle drivers and should be a clinical standard in occupational health clinics. [ Workplace Health Saf 2013;61(11):479–484.]