THE HEALTHY BUS PROJECT IN DENMARK: NEED FOR AN ACTION POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT

As documented over the last 50 years, bus drivers are exposed to several physical and psychological risk factors associated with health problems in the form of heart, musculo-skeletal and stomach disease, and increased coronary mortality. So why has there been little action to improve the situation when the need is so obviously apparent? This article describes the long and complex process that has made it possible to launch almost 200 interventions among the 3500 municipal bus drivers in Copenhagen. Using a participative action research design, new evidence was gathered by broadening the traditional work environmental scope to lifestyle, health issues and private matters. Comparing this updated needs assessment with a national reference population, it was found that drivers were often still worse off. Again, simply presenting new evidence did not seem to lead to changes and further work is needed to empower the stakeholders so that they can commit to start making effective interventions. It is concluded that every needs assessment has to be supplemented with an evaluation of the action potential.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09574824
• Corporate Authors:

  Oxford University Press

  Great Clarendon Street
  Oxford OX2 6DP,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Poulsen, K B
• Publication Date: 2004-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 205-213
• Serial:
  • Health Promotion International
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • ISSN: 0957-4824
  • Serial URL: https://academic.oup.com/heapro

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus drivers; Health; Needs assessment; Occupational diseases; Risk assessment
• Uncontrolled Terms: Intervention
• Geographic Terms: Copenhagen (Denmark)
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00989213
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 13 2005 12:00AM