OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of risks for obstructive sleep apnea among professional long-distance bus drivers in Iloilo City and their correlation with excessive daytime sleepiness

METHODS

Design: Cross-sectional study

Setting: Commercial bus company in Iloilo City, January to August 2022

Participants: Two hundred forty-eight (248) male professional long-distance bus drivers completed validated Filipino versions of the Berlin Questionnaire, STOP-BANG Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Demographic data, clinical profiles, and anthropometric measurements were analyzed to identify factors significantly associated with the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).

RESULTS

Median participant age was 44 years with 78.2% classified as overweight or obese. Majority were smokers, alcoholic beverage drinkers, had large tongues, modified Mallampati grades 3-4, and tonsil grades of 2. OSA risk prevalence varied by screening tool: the Berlin Scale identified 35.9% high-risk while STOP-BANG identified 56.0% and the ESS identified 95.6%. EDS affected 95.6% of drivers with 35.5% experiencing severe sleepiness. Weak positive correlations existed between OSA risk and EDS (Berlin vs ESS: r=0.373, p < .001; STOP-BANG vs ESS: r=0.399, p < .001). Risk of OSA (based on Berlin scale) was significantly associated with obesity (63.2% vs 27.1% overweight, p < .001) and hypertension (69.1% vs 27.7% without comorbidities, p < .001). Risk of OSA (based on STOP-BANG Scale) was significantly associated with older age (76.1% in 50-59 years vs 51.6% in 40-49 years, p=.019) and macroglossia (65.1% vs 41.1% normal tongue, p < .001). All anthropometric measurements showed significant positive correlations using both OSA screening tools.

CONCLUSION

 Professional bus drivers in Iloilo province demonstrate a high prevalence of OSA risk and near-universal EDS, with specific anthropometric and comorbidity patterns identifying highest-risk individuals. These findings support mandatory OSA screening in commercial driver licensing using validated tools and population-specific thresholds.

Human ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Occupational Health