8287726 Can restorative breaks mitigate the effects of occupational stressors in bus drivers?

<h3>Objective</h3> Rest and restorative breaks should protect workers from work-stress accumulation and overload. Bus drivers’ work entails many occupational stressors, including long working hours, night shift, aggression, and fear of accident frequency, but little is known on their rest possibilities. We investigated the relationship between bus drivers’ working conditions and occupational stress and tested two hypotheses: 1-Break duration mitigates the effect of workload on stress, 2-Career duration mitigates the effect of incivility exposure on stress. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> We used data from the Transportation Personal Health Cohort study (TRAPHEAC) collected at baseline (June-October 2024). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed with three latent variables: Workload, Break facility quality (e.g., access to toilets, number of positive elements in break areas such as armchairs, sofas, relaxation areas), and Incivility/threats. Other predictors included break duration in quiet areas. Total score of perceived occupational stress (POS) was measured using the corresponding 4-item scale. The model was adjusted for age, gender, and work environment. Career duration as bus drivers and average break duration were tested as moderators. <h3>Results</h3> The sample included 347 bus drivers ((16.7% females, age=48.6 (SD=9.4) years, career duration=11.4 (SD=8.6) years). Severe POS was reported in 36% of drivers (mean score=3.2 (SD=0.9)). The SEM model explained substantial proportion of the variance in POS (R²=0.52) and showed acceptable fit indices. Both workload and exposure to incivility/threats were positively associated with POS, while break facility quality was negatively associated. Longer restorative breaks reduced the effect of workload on POS, whereas longer career reduced the effect of incivility on POS, as confirmed by significance in two interaction terms. <h3>Conclusion</h3> To be restorative and effective in preventing occupational stress in bus drivers, breaks must be optimized in terms of timing and conditions. This cross-sectionally based results should be confirmed in longitudinal analyses of TRAPHEAC.