Abstract
Objectives
Duration at sea was investigated as a potential chronic stressor amongst seafarers in addition to the mediating roles of previous seafaring experience and hardiness between duration and stress.
Methods
In a cross-sectional design, questionnaires were emailed to 53 tanker vessels in an international shipping company with questions relating to duration at sea, perceived stress, personality hardiness and work characteristics. The sample comprised 387 seafarers (98 % male) including ratings, crew, officers, engineers, and catering staff that had been on board their ship between 0 and 24 weeks.
Results
Duration at sea was unrelated to self-reported perceived stress, even after controlling for previous seafaring experience and hardiness. Additional regression analyses demonstrated that self-reported higher levels of resilience, longer seafaring experience and greater instrumental work support were significantly associated with lower levels of self-reported stress at sea.
Conclusions
These results imply that at least for the first 24 weeks at sea, exposure to the seafaring environment did not act as a chronic stressor. The confined environment of a ship presents particular opportunities to introduce resilience and work support programmes to help seafarers manage and reduce stress, and to enhance their well-being at sea.
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Acknowledgments
We wish to extend our gratitude to the Shell employees who gave their time to participate in this study.
Conflict of interest
While the original study reported here was not funded, one of the authors (JMV) has subsequently received a PhD studentship from Shell, while AF, RS, KL and HdB are employees of Shell. The first and senior authors ND and MML have received no financial or any other kind of benefit for the research reported in this paper.
Ethical standard
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Information provided to participants at beginning of online survey
-
Resilience Survey
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. This questionnaire is part of a study being conducted by Shell Health and Trinity College Dublin into the Resilience Programme.
Participation in this study is voluntary, and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason. Data will be used for research purposes only. All information will be treated confidentially, and your identification cannot be known. If you have any questions or if you would like to discuss the study in further detail, you may contact me or my supervisors using the details below
Researcher
[Primary researcher’s contact details provided]
Supervisor
[Academic supervisor’s contact details provided]
Appendix 2: Information provided to participants at end of online survey
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Resilience Survey
Thank you for taking part in this research. The study you just participated in is investigating resilience and quality of life amongst maritime crew members.
All data collected will be treated anonymously. Your name cannot be linked with any results at any stage. In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (1977), you have the right to access your data and the study’s results at any time on request.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this study, do not hesitate to email us. You can contact me or my supervisors using the contact details below. You can also contact [contact details within shipping company provided]. Thank you once again for your participation
Researcher
[Primary researcher’s contact details provided]
Supervisor within University
[Academic supervisor’s contact details provided]
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Doyle, N., MacLachlan, M., Fraser, A. et al. Resilience and well-being amongst seafarers: cross-sectional study of crew across 51 ships. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 89, 199–209 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1063-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1063-9