The Daily Commute May Really Be Killing You . . .

. . . albeit slowly!  Various reports of the stress induced by commuting have appeared, but a more detailed analysis has come from Lund, Sweden.  It’s posted in the open-access journal BMC Public Health.

The researchers used data from two population-based surveys done in 2004 and 2008.  The total population was 21,000 people aged 18 to 65 who were working more than 30 hours a week.  The participants were classified as either commuters using car, train, or bus, or ‘active’ commuters, who traveled by foot or bicycle for less than 30 minutes daily, and served as ‘healthy controls’. Information was gathered on the one-way duration of the commute, and whether it was by car, public transport (train or bus) or other means. Specific outcomes questioned included sleep quality, everyday stress, vitality, financial stress, mental health, general health, and absence from work due to sickness in the last 12 months; also data on socioeconomic status, family situation, overtime worked, job strain, and urban/rural residency were collected.

The analyses showed that commuting by car or public transport was associated with sleep disturbance, everyday stress, exhaustion, poor general health, and sickness-absences from work.  There was a clear relationship between the duration of public transport commuting and the health outcomes.  Such commutes of more than one hour were 1.2 to 1.6 times likely to be linked with poorer health outcomes.  Car commuters, on the other hand, showed a more pronounced link with health problems with shorter commutes (30-60 minutes), but less health risks with commutes over 60 minutes.

The authors of the study point out that their findings shouldn’t be generalized to other countries.  However, it seems probable that, in many respects, they are, indeed valid.  There’s little doubt that the stress of long public transport commutes are likely to affect health in different but deleterious ways.  Lucky are those who can ‘work from home’, or ‘telecommute’.

Comments

[laurahill]

Good blog..I am always searching such kind of health relevant blogs where we get good health related stuff.
Thanks!!
(edited - RG)