Health problems of deep sea fishermen.

In 1995-1997, 966 fishermen were subjected to medical examinations and their health state was evaluated. In 78.2% fishermen examined no pathologies were recorded and in 7.7% of them defects and impairments not regarded diseases with visual defects predominating were noted. In a part of the fishermen examined the diseases coexisted with the defects and impairments. The major health problems of the deep-sea fishermen were various types of neuroses (8%), arterial hypertencion (4.7%), urolithiasis (0.8%) and musculoskeleted system diseases.

Diseases and work-related injuries in Polish seafarers and conditions of their work on foreign-flag ships.

A questionnaire survey was conducted in 1994-1996 among Polish seafarers employed on foreign-flag ships, in order to collect their opinions and experiences on work and life on these ships, and to estimate the morbidity and injuries incidence. The majority of 1103 respondents were satisfied with the conditions of work and life on these ships: their food, accommodation, the health and safety of work, standard of health care on board were good or satisfactory; they had no problems with living and working together on the same ship with seamen of other nationalities. But about 7.8% of respondents complained that the safety and health of work on their ship was unsatisfactory, or conditions of work "endangered their health and life". The self-reported morbidity (calculated rate 176.8 per 1000 men per year) and accidents (rate 114.5 per 1000 per year) was recorded.

Observations on the conditions of work of Polish seafarers and their health.

Conditions of work of seafarers depend on the influence of physical, chemical biological and psycho-social factors. In 1971-1973, the health of 3000 sefarers was examined; their main health problems were: neuroses (10.13%), arterial hypertension (4.63%), ulcer of stomach and duodenum (2.80%), renal calculi (2.80%), and the alcoholic addiction (1.73%). Those seamen worked on cargo ships which technically differed from ships which sail the seas in the nineties; they were slower, to load them and unload took much time, and they stayed in ports for long periods of time. Recent technical developments in shipbuilding, and the trend to build larger ships with more powerful engines and greater cruising speed, the mechanization and automation of ships operation, and computerization, caused the change in their crews structure and number. It also changes the psycho-social work environment. Using the same method, health examinations of 3,300 seafarers were conducted in 1983-1985. There was an increase in the prevalence of neuroses, arterial hypertension, ulcer of stomach and duodenum, and calculus of kidney. In 1990-1992, a group of 4,688 seafarers was examined. Their health problems were different, in comparison with the populations previously examined. For example, neuroses were recorded in 1.16% men, and ulcer of stomach and duodenum in 0.13% of men examined. The above differences in the health status of seafarers examined cannot be attributed only to the changes in their work conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparative investigations into the state of health of seamen employed in the Polish Merchant Marine.

In the years 1971-1974 the authors carried out investigations into the state of health of 3000 seamen employed on ships of the Polish Merchant Marine. Ten years later the authors renewed the investigations using the same methods. The only difference was in the number of seamen under investigations, then out of 3000 only 1441 were still in service on ships. The paper shows changes in distribution dynamics of the morbidity rate. It was also demonstrated that specific seamen's work environmental conditions have a significant effect on occurrence and development of different types of neuroses, hypertensive diseases and calculi of kidney and ureter.