The numbers of 1 out of 3 potentially suffering from sleep apnea are pretty big. We have all heard the news reports of drivers who fall asleep behind the wheel too, and not only truck drivers are affected there, but the problem is that it kills other individuals in case of an accident too. …hmmmm…gave me a thought here, does being in Congress and having an unacceptable BMI affect their skills or do we measure their track records? Ok, enough and on with the post.
If encouraged, like any of us, there are ways to improve our current health and not too long ago I did a post about a truck driver using his PHR to monitor his blood pressure, so why not put the same principle into practice here and use a scale and other educational information available to work on it.
The sleep apnea test is good too to bring about an awareness too, but hopefully not used in a negative fashion. There are people driving and walking all over earth that have this too and it doesn’t stop them from driving and leading a normal life as we only diagnosed this condition a few years ago. I happen to know the trucking company, Swift, mentioned in this article and they have always had a good reputation and have been a good service provider too, so being they are voluntarily offering the test is a good thing. BD
Cross Country Truck Driver using Microsoft HeatlhVault to send blood pressure readings to his doctor (video)
At age 55, he stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 308 pounds, which doctors say helps to explain why he’s been diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, a dangerous disorder that puts him at high risk for health problems — and falling asleep at the wheel.
“It was mild, but has worsened as I have gotten older,” says Armstrong, a Michigan man who weighed 190 two decades ago, but gradually has put on pounds.
Regulators with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration have been considering for more than a year new rules that would require screening for drivers whose body mass index — a metric based on weight and height — exceeds 30, the baseline for obesity.
“There is no direct relationship between a person’s body weight and his ability to drive an 18-wheel truck,” said Tom Weakley, director of operations for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represents about 160,000 drivers. “Show me where that’s a better predictor than a person’s driving record.”
Heavy, drowsy truckers pose risk on the road - Health care- msnbc.com
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Hi
ReplyDeleteI think we have to screen this group of high risk population. Therfore, we can prevent complications.
I think the screening for sleep apnea is a good thing since they have more exposure just due to the occupation, but on the BMI, hey that's for everyone! Thanks for commenting!
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