open access
Cardiovascular risk factors in seamen and fishermen: review of literature
open access
Abstract
Background and aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among sailors and their evolution over time.
Materials and methods: This study is a review of the literature from Medline® database and the Medicina Maritima journal. With prevalence studies, the overall prevalence was calculated; 2 groups were created according to the study period (1990s vs. 2000s) and compared by c2 test with Mantel-Haenszel correction.
Results: Eighteen articles were selected (total: 57,473 European sailors and 327 non-European sailors). Smoking prevalence varied between 37.3 and 72.3%; overweight prevalence between 27.9 and 66.5%; hypertension was between 8.2 and 49.7%; hypercholesterolaemia (“high blood level of cholesterol”) variedbetween 25.1 and 42% of the populations studied; between 3.3 and 9.3% of the populations studied suffered from diabetes. Two studies showed a 10-year cardiovascular risk comparable to that of the general population. After calculating with similar studies, the prevalences were 61.4% for smoking, 60.9% for overweight, 30.1% for hypertension, 34.6% for high cholesterol, and 3.6% for diabetes. Smoking prevalence was significantly lower in 2000s (45.4% vs. 61.3%, p < 0.01), those of overweight, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia were higher (64.1% vs. 47.1%, p < 0.01, and 42.1% vs. 14.8%, p < 0.01, 42.0%vs. 33.9%, p = 0.02).Conclusions: Modifiable risk factors are the most studied. Smoking tended to decrease in the 2000s.
Abstract
Background and aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among sailors and their evolution over time.
Materials and methods: This study is a review of the literature from Medline® database and the Medicina Maritima journal. With prevalence studies, the overall prevalence was calculated; 2 groups were created according to the study period (1990s vs. 2000s) and compared by c2 test with Mantel-Haenszel correction.
Results: Eighteen articles were selected (total: 57,473 European sailors and 327 non-European sailors). Smoking prevalence varied between 37.3 and 72.3%; overweight prevalence between 27.9 and 66.5%; hypertension was between 8.2 and 49.7%; hypercholesterolaemia (“high blood level of cholesterol”) variedbetween 25.1 and 42% of the populations studied; between 3.3 and 9.3% of the populations studied suffered from diabetes. Two studies showed a 10-year cardiovascular risk comparable to that of the general population. After calculating with similar studies, the prevalences were 61.4% for smoking, 60.9% for overweight, 30.1% for hypertension, 34.6% for high cholesterol, and 3.6% for diabetes. Smoking prevalence was significantly lower in 2000s (45.4% vs. 61.3%, p < 0.01), those of overweight, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia were higher (64.1% vs. 47.1%, p < 0.01, and 42.1% vs. 14.8%, p < 0.01, 42.0%vs. 33.9%, p = 0.02).Conclusions: Modifiable risk factors are the most studied. Smoking tended to decrease in the 2000s.
Keywords
occupational health, risk factors, ships, prevalence, review, maritime


Title
Cardiovascular risk factors in seamen and fishermen: review of literature
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original article
Pages
107-113
Published online
2013-09-25
Page views
1770
Article views/downloads
3691
Bibliographic record
IMH 2013;64(3):107-113.
Keywords
occupational health
risk factors
ships
prevalence
review
maritime
Authors
Richard Pougnet
Laurence Pougnet
Brice Loddé Loddé
Maria Luisa Canals-Pol
Dominique Jegaden
David Lucas
Jean-Dominique Dewitte