Coronary heart disease risk factors in taxi drivers in Medellín.

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Taxi drivers constitute a high-risk occupational group due to prolonged sedentary work, extended shifts and chronic stress, beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Aims: To describe the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and their sociodemographic and occupational associations among taxi drivers in Medellín, Colombia.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 484 taxi drivers recruited citywide. We obtained data using a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic and occupational factors and self-reported diagnoses of hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes. We assessed physical activity with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and alcohol and tobacco use with the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test. We estimated prevalences and analysed associations with multiple risk factors using chi-squared test and Poisson regression with a robust error variance.

Results: Sedentary lifestyle prevalence was 71%; hypertension 30%; dyslipidaemia 24%; hazardous alcohol use 25%; hazardous tobacco use 14%; and diabetes 10%. Overall, 52% of participants had two or more CHD risk factors. In adjusted models, a higher prevalence of multiple risk factors was observed among drivers with primary education (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.71; 95% CI 1.26-2.32) and secondary education (aPR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.06-1.93), more than 10 years of driving experience (aPR = 1.39; 95% CI 1.09-1.75) and mixed day and night shifts (aPR = 1.18; 95% CI 1.01-1.40), after adjustment for sociodemographic and occupational variables.

Conclusions: Taxi drivers in Medellín show a high burden of CHD risk factors, underscoring the need for targeted occupational health interventions addressing modifiable conditions.