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Energy drink: the consumption prevalence, and awareness of its potential health implications among commercial drivers in the Ho Municipality of Ghana
Nii Korley Kortei
University of Health and Allied Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8863-4694
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Public Health.
Background: Consumption of energy drinks has become an escalating global public health problem. The work schedule and irregular sleeping habits of commercial bus drivers make them highly susceptible to getting fatigued, hence most of them consume energy drinks as a fatigue management strategy. However, consumption of energy drinks produces numerous psychomotor side effects that if consumed among drivers puts the traveling public in danger of road accidents. This study sought to assess the prevalence of energy drink consumption and awareness of associated potential health problems among commercial long-distance bus drivers operating from the Ho municipality.
Methods: The study population comprised about 266 commercial bus drivers. This was a cross-sectional study involving 132 participants who completed a structured questionnaire on the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, frequency of consumption and reasons for consumption. It also included questions to assess the knowledge of the ingredients and side effects of energy drinks. Respondents were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Descriptive analysis and Chi-square test of association were used to analyse the data.
Results: A majority (62.1%) of the drivers had more than 10 years of commercial driving experience. A 75% energy drink consumption prevalence was recorded with driving performance enhancement (78.8%) as the predominant reason for consumption. 7 - 10 bottles per week were consumed by most (32.2%) of the drivers. Also, 72.0% had poor knowledge of the side effects linked with energy drink consumption as well as the ingredients for preparation.
Conclusion: Energy drinks were consumed by the majority of the drivers at the Ho main bus terminal of which most of the drivers had poor knowledge of the potential health problems linked with the consumption of these drinks. The consumption of energy drinks was observed to be higher among the drivers with lower education levels, higher monthly income and those who worked long hours in a day. The Ghana National Road Safety Commission (GNRC) in collaboration with other private road transport unions in Ghana should organize regular seminars for commercial bus drivers on the potential dangers and effects associated with energy drink consumption.
Keywords
Energy drink, commercial bus drivers, daily consumption, reasons
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 5
Posted 17 Aug, 2020
Published
On 27 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 13 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 10 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 07 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 27 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 26 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 26 Jul, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 04 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 05 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 04 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 04 Aug, 2020
This version was not preprinted
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 07 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 07 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 16 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 02 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 02 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 30 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 27 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 26 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 26 May, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 03 May, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 02 May, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 02 May, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 17 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Mar, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Mar, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 20 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Mar, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Public Health. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Energy drink: the consumption prevalence, and awareness of its potential health implications among commercial drivers in the Ho Municipality of Ghana
Nii Korley Kortei
University of Health and Allied Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8863-4694
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 5
Posted 17 Aug, 2020
Published
On 27 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 13 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 10 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 07 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 27 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 26 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 26 Jul, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 04 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 05 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 04 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 04 Aug, 2020
This version was not preprinted
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 07 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 07 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 16 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 02 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 02 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 30 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 27 May, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 26 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 26 May, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 03 May, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 02 May, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 02 May, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 17 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 07 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Mar, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Mar, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 20 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 19 Mar, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Public Health.
Background: Consumption of energy drinks has become an escalating global public health problem. The work schedule and irregular sleeping habits of commercial bus drivers make them highly susceptible to getting fatigued, hence most of them consume energy drinks as a fatigue management strategy. However, consumption of energy drinks produces numerous psychomotor side effects that if consumed among drivers puts the traveling public in danger of road accidents. This study sought to assess the prevalence of energy drink consumption and awareness of associated potential health problems among commercial long-distance bus drivers operating from the Ho municipality.
Methods: The study population comprised about 266 commercial bus drivers. This was a cross-sectional study involving 132 participants who completed a structured questionnaire on the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, frequency of consumption and reasons for consumption. It also included questions to assess the knowledge of the ingredients and side effects of energy drinks. Respondents were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Descriptive analysis and Chi-square test of association were used to analyse the data.
Results: A majority (62.1%) of the drivers had more than 10 years of commercial driving experience. A 75% energy drink consumption prevalence was recorded with driving performance enhancement (78.8%) as the predominant reason for consumption. 7 - 10 bottles per week were consumed by most (32.2%) of the drivers. Also, 72.0% had poor knowledge of the side effects linked with energy drink consumption as well as the ingredients for preparation.
Conclusion: Energy drinks were consumed by the majority of the drivers at the Ho main bus terminal of which most of the drivers had poor knowledge of the potential health problems linked with the consumption of these drinks. The consumption of energy drinks was observed to be higher among the drivers with lower education levels, higher monthly income and those who worked long hours in a day. The Ghana National Road Safety Commission (GNRC) in collaboration with other private road transport unions in Ghana should organize regular seminars for commercial bus drivers on the potential dangers and effects associated with energy drink consumption.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11