Excessive daytime sleepiness and alcohol consumption among commercial drivers

Background Commercial drivers suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) have been identified as a major cause of road traffic accidents. Alcohol usage directly affects sleep, adversely affecting next-day alertness and performance. Aims To examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and EDS among commercial truck drivers in Japan and the implications of this on public health. Methods All participants in this cross-sectional study were commercial motor vehicle drivers from Tokyo and Niigata Prefecture. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire with details of their age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score and tobacco usage. Participants' oxygen denaturation index was determined by a pulse oximetry device that participants took home. Results A total of 1422 males registered with the Japan Trucking Association and aged 20-69 years participated. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of EDS among participants aged <43 years was 0.81 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47-1.40) for light drinkers, 0.93 (95% CI 0.51-1.70) for moderate drinkers and 0.61 (95% CI 0.21-1.79) for heavy drinkers, compared to non-drinkers. The multivariate-adjusted OR among participants aged >= 43 years was 1.42 (95% CI 0.59-3.45) for light drinkers, 1.53 (95% CI 0.63-3.75) for moderate drinkers and 3.37 (95% CI 1.14-9.96) for heavy drinkers (P for interaction = 0.05). Conclusions We found that the association between ESS and alcohol intake was more evident among those aged >= 43 years, who reported higher levels of EDS with increased alcohol consumption.