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MILESTONE - MobILe and tEchnological SoluTions for OccupatioNal drivErs
Sponsor: Hasselt University
Summary
Professional drivers in freight transport often experience difficult, exhausting and stressful working conditions due to various reasons: irregular sleep patterns, uncertainty in traffic, frequently changing schedules, busy schedules, a lot of time away from home, etc. These working conditions can lead to significant health problems with a significant impact on road safety. According to the International Road Transport Union, Europe is currently facing the most acute driver shortage in decades; which threatens the continued growth of the road transport sector, and its ability to provide solutions to expected volume growth. Technology will play an important role in making road transport safer and more efficient. MILESTONE\'s overall objective is to develop and test technological interventions which are expected to reduce the difficult working conditions, stress, negative health effects of professional drivers.
Official title: MILESTONE: MobILe and tEchnological SoluTions for OccupatioNal drivErs
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
Any - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
160
Start Date
2022-12-15
Completion Date
2025-02
Last Updated
2024-05-01
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Real-time triggers
The first intervention group (n= 30 professional drivers) will receive real-time triggers related to acute stress and sleepiness/fatigue. The real-time feedback involves giving relevant triggers when exceeding some critical stress values or detecting events of \'energy-takers\' based on accurate measurements of mental energy in a fully automated way. The selected triggers will be based on the co-creation workshops with drivers (e.g., auditive, visual) in order to select the most efficient (type or combination of) trigger(s) for the real-time feedback. The warning messages will be tailored to the preferences of the driver (e.g., personalized comfort- and safety-related settings) and aim to generate a warning message/signal meant to alert drivers and prevent they might end up with high stress levels
Personalized tailored feedback
The second intervention group (n= 30 professional drivers) will receive personalized tailored feedback to reduce chronic stress and sleepiness/fatigue. The advice involves personalized (semi-)automatic feedback to drivers about a reduced stress level via the mobile app with automatic reports, as well as post-intervention during the next work break or at the end of the workday, based on the preferences of the driver. The (semi-)automatic feedback is based on the theory of Stages of Change, by which a driver will only receive relevant feedback based on their attitude and willingness during daily life.
Real-time triggers + Personalized tailored feedback
The third intervention group (n= 30 professional drivers) will receive both real-time feedback related to acute stress and sleepiness/fatigue, as well as personalized tailored feedback related to chronic stress and sleepiness/fatigue, similar as in the first and second intervention groups.
App-supported exercise therapy
The fourth intervention group (n= 30 professional drivers) will receive app-supported exercise therapy. The intervention will be based on principles of high-intensity training exercises that focus on the improvement of cardiorespiratory exercise capacity, as well as on the reduction of stress levels during work. Participants will receive instructions via the app to do some short, vigorous exercises adapted to their work environment at regular intervals, e.g., bending-and-stretching exercises with a weight in their hands, walking up and down the stairs of their vehicle for a few minutes, etc.
Conventional intervention
The active control group (n= 20 professional drivers) will get a conventional intervention to reduce stress, e.g., mindfulness.
Locations (1)
Hasselt University
Hasselt, Limburg, Belgium