A sailor’s job can be brutally tough and dangerous, thanks to long hours and hard physical work in remote locations. That combination often leads to illness and injuries, and now a new report shows which ones are most common.
The study covered a two-year period from 2021 to 2022, so it’s no surprise that Covid-19 was the most common affliction to arise during that time. The statistics come from MedSea, a Singapore-based company that provides 24/7 telemedical assistance service to seafarers onboard ships around the world.
During the period examined, MedSea provided assistance to over 8,000 seafarers onboard more than 1,400 vessels. Of these cases, one in five were due to Covid-19, with many ships having outbreaks of multiple infected crew members. Other medical categories responsible for high case volumes were musculoskeletal (12%), dermatological (11%), and gastrointestinal (10%) issues.
Injuries were the most common reason ships required diversions to bring patients to medical facilities on shore. Hand injuries were by far the most frequently injured part of the body, accounting for nearly one-third of injury cases.
Despite a growing awareness of mental health in the transportation industry, only one in five seafarers suffering from mental health concerns opted to receive emotional support counselling. However, the number of dental cases sharply increased in 2023, likely due to pent-up demand following the easing of pandemic restrictions, MedSea said.
