By More than half the Sri Lanka Transport Board or commonly known as CTB bus drivers driving in and around Colombo are highly stressed out. A high level of prevalence of occupational stress of 52.1% was observed among CTB bus drivers by a study published in the Journal of the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka in 2021.
The study was carried out by several Community Physicians including DK Ilangasinha and others.
While CTB bus drivers work more than ten hours per day for six days per week in very harsh conditions home of them get addicted to chewing betel and smoking.
working overtime, shift patterns and running hours all have added to the 10,000 bus drivers working in the western province.
Irregular mealtimes and poor nutrition, traffic congestion, prolonged driving, constant visual and mental alertness, and driving during night hours in adverse weather conditions all add to the stress .
Current tobacco users showed almost 10 times higher occupational stress than non-smokers. The researchers point out that prolonged stress could create occupational diseases such as burnout and call for mental well-being programmes to be carried out among bus drivers and a review of work practice.
