Occupation-specific screening for future sickness absence: criterion validity of the trucker strain monitor (TSM).
BACKGROUND
Monitoring psychological job strain may help occupational physicians to take preventive action at the appropriate time. For this purpose, the 10-item trucker strain monitor (TSM) assessing work-related fatigue and sleeping problems in truck drivers was developed.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined (1) test-retest reliability, (2) criterion validity of the TSM with respect to future sickness absence due to psychological health complaints and (3) usefulness of the TSM two-scales structure.


METHODS
The TSM and self-administered questionnaires, providing information about stressful working conditions (job control and job demands) and sickness absence, were sent to a random sample of 2000 drivers in 1998. Of the 1123 responders, 820 returned a completed questionnaire 2 years later (response: 72%).


RESULTS
The TSM work-related fatigue scale, the TSM sleeping problems scale and the TSM composite scale showed satisfactory 2-year test-retest reliability (coefficient r=0.62, 0.66 and 0.67, respectively). The work-related fatigue, sleeping problems scale and composite scale had sensitivities of 61, 65 and 61%, respectively in identifying drivers with future sickness absence due to psychological health complaints. The specificity and positive predictive value of the TSM composite scale were 77 and 11%, respectively. The work-related fatigue scale and the sleeping problems scale were moderately strong correlated (r=0.62). However, stressful working conditions were differentially associated with the two scales.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the test-retest reliability, criterion validity and two-factor structure of the TSM. In general, the results suggest that the use of occupation-specific psychological job strain questionnaires is fruitful.
De Croon
Einar M
EM
Coronel Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, Academic Medical Center, Research Institute Amsterdam Center for Health and Health, Care Research (AmCOGG), Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.m.decroon@amc.uva.nl
Blonk
Roland W B
RW
Sluiter
Judith K
JK
Frings-Dresen
Monique H W
MH
D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires