The impact of working conditions on the health of taxi drivers in an urban metropolis
International Journal of Workplace Health Management
ISSN: 1753-8351
Article publication date: 28 September 2020
Issue publication date: 25 November 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This descriptive qualitative study explores how working conditions impact the health of taxi drivers in Toronto, Canada.
Design/methodology/approach
Drivers were recruited between September 2016 and March 2017. A total of 14 semi-structured qualitative interviews and one focus group (n = 11) were conducted. Transcripts were analyzed inductively through a socioecological lens.
Findings
The findings of this study are as follows: drivers acknowledged that job precariousness (represented by unstable employment, long hours and low wages) and challenging workplace conditions (sitting all day and limited breaks) contribute to poor physical/mental health. Also, these conditions undermine opportunities to engage in health-protective behaviors (healthy eating, regularly exercising and taking breaks). Drivers do not receive health-enabling reinforcements from religious/cultural networks, colleagues or their taxi brokerage. Drivers do seek support from their primary care providers and family for their physical health but remain discreet about their mental health.
Research limitations/implications
As this study relied on a convenience sample, the sample did not represent all Toronto taxi drivers. All interviews were completed in English and all drivers were male, thus limiting commentary on other experiences and any gender differences in health management approaches among drivers.
Practical implications
Given the global ubiquity of taxi driving and an evolving workplace environment characterized by growing competition, findings are generalizable across settings and may resonate with other precarious professions, including long-haul truck operators and Uber/Lyft drivers. Findings also expose areas for targeted intervention outside the workplace setting.
Originality/value
Health management among taxi drivers is understudied. A fulsome, socioecological understanding of how working conditions (both within and outside the workplace) impact their health is essential in developing targeted interventions to improve health outcomes.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the taxi drivers who contributed their time to participate in this study, and to the taxi brokerages that agreed to advertise our study.Declaration of conflicting interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.Funding: Authors are grateful for receiving financial support for this study from the Women’s College Academic Health Sciences Centre Alternative Funding Plan (AHSC AFP) Grant. Funder had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, manuscript preparation, or decision to submit for publication.
Citation
Marani, H., Roche, B., Anderson, L., Rai, M., Agarwal, P. and Martin, D. (2020), "The impact of working conditions on the health of taxi drivers in an urban metropolis", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 13 No. 6, pp. 671-686. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-03-2020-0027
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited