Affiliations: Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Detroit,
MI, USA | Wayne State University, Department of Family Medicine
and Public Health Sciences, Detroit, MI, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. A.V. Neale, Wayne State
University, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, 101 E.
Alexandrine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. Tel.: +1 313 577 7680; Fax: +1 313 577
3070; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: This mixed methods study explored health care access problems faced
by long-distance truck drivers. Thirty trucking professionals were interviewed
at truck-stops in Michigan about health status and health care access. Thirty
of the 88 drivers approached participated. The most common illnesses they
reported concerned the eye, back, excessive stress at work and painful joints
or arthritis. Most respondents had a family doctor; for those who did not, cost
was a major contributing factor. More than one third stated their health is
"not excellent" because of poor accessibility to healthcare on the road.
Almost unanimously, drivers desired to have access to health care clinics in
truck-stop areas and described particular access problems; the solution may be
as simple as making the existing health care system more amenable to those
driving large truck rigs.
Keywords: Transportation, population study, underserved population
