Examining demographic, work, and sleep characteristics among older South Asian American yellow taxi drivers in New York City: A brief report

OBJECTIVES: This exploratory study examines workplace factors, sleep, sleep disorders, and safety among older (age 50 years and above) yellow taxi drivers in New York City (NYC) of South Asian descent. METHODS: Using street intercept methods, quantitative data was collected among yellow taxi drivers in NYC (n=27) from January-March 2020. RESULTS: Among drivers, higher than normal sleepiness was identified in 33%, sleeping fewer than 7 hours on worknights work nights was reported by 52%, and 37% were at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Among drivers, 11% (n=3) reported a motor vehicle accident in the past year and all drivers who reported an accident were at high risk for OSA. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this hard-to-reach and understudied population revealed that most drivers did not report sufficient sleep on work nights. Results found over one-third of drivers had high OSA risk and drivers at high risk for OSA contributed to all reports of motor vehicle crashes.