Driving in distress: mapping psychological disorders among taxi and other commercial drivers in Africa. A scoping review

Abstract

Taxi and other commercial drivers face significant job hazards that may impact their psychological health. In Africa, this occupational group experiences disproportionately higher levels of psychological distress compared to the general population. This review aims to map evidence on psychological disorders among taxi and other commercial drivers in Africa. This scoping review was conducted using the framework developed by Levac et al. A systematic literature review was conducted of studies published between 2015 and 2025. A total of 576 records were initially identified—564 through database searches, including CINAHL ( n = 95), Emcare ( n = 4), Medline ( n = 220), PsycINFO ( n = 5), Scopus ( n = 131), and Web of Science ( n = 109)—and an additional 12 records obtained through manual searches. The final review comprised 12 studies (10 quantitative and two qualitative) that met the eligibility criteria and were subjected to data extraction and thematic analysis. This scoping review provided descriptive summaries, as substantial heterogeneity of study designs and assessment tools restricted comparability and prevented the synthesis of pooled prevalence estimates. Across the 12 included studies, the aggregated sample size was 6359 participants, including 3502 taxi drivers and 2857 other commercial drivers. The prevalence of psychological distress varied by study, country and measurement tools: depression (26.0–43.6%), stress (28.0–89.6%), anxiety (14.5%), insomnia (59.9–76%), PTSD (12.6%), intellectual disorders (38.4%), general psychopathology (45.6%), and somatic disorders (39.9%). These disorders correlated with traumatic events, work schedules, social support, job security, violence, and drug abuse. Substance use—alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, tramadol, kola nut, khat, caffeine, and cocaine—ranged from 0.4% to 81%. Targeted mental health screening, psychoeducation, better working conditions, and stronger regulation of commercial transport could help lower drivers' psychological distress and substance use. • Psychological distress assessed with PHQ-9, PSS-10, API, ISI, TSQ; substance use with ASSIST, FTND, DETA. • Depression (26–43.6%), anxiety (14.5%), PTSD (12.6%) and stress (28–89.6%) were common. • Insomnia (60–76%) and somatic disorders (39.9%) were reported. • Intellectual disorders (38.4%) and general psychopathology (45.6%) were also prevalent. • Substance use ranged from 0.4% to 81%, influenced by work and socioeconomic strain.