Health Services
DEPRESSION l HEART DISEASE l DIABETES l FACTSHEETS
Did you know on average a truck driver spends just 17% of his life at home, 15% of this time is spent sleeping, leaving just 2% of his life with his family.Truck Drivers are thought to be the masculine type, who are never to be seen as weak or ill. The fact is, one in four truck drivers are at risk of having one or more health issues. The demand of their job stops them from regular health checks and even though they are aware of symptoms, they ignore them.
Regular health checks, addressing symptoms and seeking help can reduce the severity of any health condition and also save lives, on and off the road.
Heart Disease, cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, prostate cancer, depression and even road trauma are all common illnesses that are effecting the industry. Left untreated they all can become a serious illness. Treated you can continue to have a healthy manageable life.
The Trans-Help Foundation is working
closely with existing organisations to ensure we can provide workers
and their families with fact sheets about a variety of illnesses,
whilst creating awareness of the symptoms.
We are also establishing affiliated partnerships with those
organisations to ensure the right assistance and advice is available
for the Transport Industry. Each fact sheet hosts contact details,
via phone, internet or email. Statistics
show that some of the illnesses contribute to the Transport Industry
road fatalities in Australia.
If you think you may have an illness,
read the fact sheet and seek medical assistance or if you know
someone that may need help, we encourage you to give them our fact
sheet.Depression is a common serious illness in the transport industry. Some people think they are just having a bad day, then it comes day after day. A person with depression finds it hard to function and concentrate. Depression can have serious effects on your physical and mental health. The first step to recovering and coping is to admit to your self you need help - and there is help available.
HEART DISEASE
Cardiovascular disease (heart, stroke and blood vessel disease) is the leading cause of death and disability in Australia, claiming the lives of 50,294 people in 2002 alone, or 38% of all deaths. Many Truck Drivers are effected by this disease. and early medical assistance is required.
There are over 700,000 people diagnosed with diabetes in Australia. The majority of these are Type 2, previously known as ‘Mature Age Onset Diabetes’. About 10% are Type 1, previously known as ‘Juvenile Diabetes”
FACT SHEETS
