Training needs among maritime professionals: a cross sectional study
Abstract
Background: Maritime medical practice includes assessment of fitness, management of medical emergencies
and healthcare on board and ashore. A better response to seagoing professionals’ health requirements
can be achieved when all the respective stakeholders have a common understanding. Training is
a powerful tool to raise awareness and in particular continuing professional development is very significant
in sustaining competencies of these professionals. The objective of the study was to identify maritime
professionals’ perceived training needs.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among maritime professionals participated
in the 14th International Symposium on Maritime Health. Fifty responses with the response rate of 42.7%
were received with medical doctors representing 78% of the sample. Descriptive statistics were used to
describe the basic characteristics of the data needs using STATA 15.1.
Results: Among the 23 themes, the ranking of perceived training needs was highest for fitness evaluation and examination guidelines and working conditions (both with the same percentage 86%), onboard medicine 82%, rules and regulations and health and safety at work (with the same percentage 80%). The lowest was on gender issues 32%.
Conclusions: The finding suggests the planning and effective implementation of further training for the
maritime health professionals in a variety of topics including financing and management issues. Highest
importance of training was expressed by those over 40 years and by medical doctors with more than
10 years of practice. These findings could usefully be combined with a qualitative study to gain in-depth
results and may help the respective authorities to organise relevant training.
Keywords: perceived training needshealth professionalsmaritime sectorsymposium on maritime health
References
- Li Z, Xu M, Shi Y. Centrality in global shipping network basing on worldwide shipping areas. GeoJournal. 2014; 80(1): 47–60.
- Zhang P, Zhao M. Maritime health of Chinese seafarers. Marine Policy. 2017; 83: 259–267.
- Poulsen TR, Burr H, Hansen HL, et al. Health of Danish seafarers and fishermen 1970-2010: What have register-based studies found? Scand J Public Health. 2014; 42(6): 534–545.
- Dahl E. Cruise ship's doctors - company employees or independent contractors? Int Marit Health. 2016; 67(3): 153–158.
- Heikki Saarni. Medical examinations of seafarers and training for medical doctors in maritime health. Actual Problems of Transport Medicine. 2005.
- Norwegian Centre for Maritime Medicine. Textbook of Maritime Medicine, Norway. 2014.
- International Maritime Organization. Intemational Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended in 1995 and. 1997; 1995: 255.
- The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Value for money in health services, Paris: OECD. 2010.
- World Health Organization. Health literacy the solid facts. WHO Regional Office for Europe. 2013.
- International Maritime Organization. International safety management code: ISM code and revised guidelines on the implementation of the ISM code by administrations. International Maritime Organization. London. 2002: 39.
- Mitroussi K, Notteboom T. Getting the work done: motivation needs and processes for seafarers and dock workers. WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs. 2014; 14(2): 247–265.
- Chowdhury SAA, Smith J, Trowsdale S, et al. HIV/AIDS, health and wellbeing study among International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) seafarer affiliates. Int Marit Health. 2016; 67(1): 42–50.
- Levenson JW, Skerrett PJ, Gaziano JM. Reducing the global burden of cardiovascular disease: the role of risk factors. Prev Cardiol. 2002; 5(4): 188–199.
- Iversen RTB. The mental health of seafarers. Int Marit Health. 2012; 63(2): 78–89.
- Cruess RL, Cruess SR. Expectations and obligations: professionalism and medicine's social contract with society. Perspect Biol Med. 2008; 51(4): 579–598.
- Hansen HL, Pedersen G. Poisoning at sea: injuries caused by chemicals aboard Danish merchant ships 1988-1996. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 2001; 39(1): 21–26.
- Kasvosve I, Ledikwe JH, Phumaphi O, et al. Continuing professional development training needs of medical laboratory personnel in Botswana. Hum Resour Health. 2014; 12: 46.
- Amponsah-Tawaih K, Adu MA. Work Pressure and Safety Behaviors among Health Workers in Ghana: The Moderating Role of Management Commitment to Safety. Saf Health Work. 2016; 7(4): 340–346.
- Epstein RM, Hundert EM. Defining and assessing professional competence. JAMA. 2002; 287(2): 226–235.
- Colthart I, Bagnall G, Evans A, et al. The effectiveness of self-assessment on the identification of learner needs, learner activity, and impact on clinical practice: BEME Guide no. 10. Med Teach. 2008; 30(2): 124–145.
- Eva KW, Regehr G. Self-assessment in the health professions: a reformulation and research agenda. Acad Med. 2005; 80(10 Suppl): S46–S54.
- Sargos P. Responsabilité des médecins, aléa thérapeutique et obligation de sécurité de résultat. Cahiers de stomatologie et de chirurgie. 2001(2): 7–9.
- Alagbe J. Female seafarers’ shocking revelation: To our bosses, we are just sex tools 2016. http://punchng.com/female-seafarers-shocking-revelation-bosses-just-sex-tools/.
- Andrioti D, Faurby , Jensen O. Do Danish Maritime Doctors Value Continuous Education Initiatives? Health Econ Outcome Res Open Access. 2017; 03(03).
- Jensen OC, Charalambous G. Andrioti D, Analysis of maritime doctors and general practitioners perceived training needs. Submitted Int Maritime Health. 2018.
- Oldenburg M, Rieger J, Sevenich C, et al. Nautical officers at sea: emergency experience and need for medical training. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2014; 9: 19.
- Lammintakanen J, Kivinen T. Continuing professional development in nursing: does age matter? J Workplace Learning. 2012; 24(1): 34–47.
