open access
Five-year (2015–2019) follow-up study of 6,526 cases of medical repatriation of Filipino seafarers
Affiliations- Health Metrics Inc., Makati, Philippines
- National Telehealth Centre, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
open access
Abstract
Background: There is a limited number of studies on the medical repatriation of seafarers. The aim
of the study was to follow up on the previous 2010–2014 study using data from 2015–2019 to evaluate
the epidemiology of medical repatriation among Filipino seafarers.
Materials and methods: Data from medical repatriation records of Filipino seafarers from January 2015 to
December 2019 were collected from various claims departments of different manning agencies in Manila,
Philippines.
Results: Data from a total of 6,526 medical repatriation cases and 464,418 deployments in a 5-year period
resulted in a medical repatriation rate calculated at 1.4%. We used the 10th revision of the International
Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) to determine the most common
causes of repatriation. We found that these were musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal problems,
and traumatic injuries. The distribution of the specific illnesses per organ system is presented.
Conclusions: Filipinos continue to represent the most numerous group of seafarers in the world. The continued
profiling of health issues should lead to better health protocols and controlling medical costs. It
should also lead to better prioritisation of health protection and care on board ships. Within the present
10-year database of medical repatriations coinciding with the implementation of Maritime Convention
Labour Convention 2006, there is a compelling need to compare the two data sets to have an objective
evaluation of the convention’s projected goals.
Abstract
Background: There is a limited number of studies on the medical repatriation of seafarers. The aim
of the study was to follow up on the previous 2010–2014 study using data from 2015–2019 to evaluate
the epidemiology of medical repatriation among Filipino seafarers.
Materials and methods: Data from medical repatriation records of Filipino seafarers from January 2015 to
December 2019 were collected from various claims departments of different manning agencies in Manila,
Philippines.
Results: Data from a total of 6,526 medical repatriation cases and 464,418 deployments in a 5-year period
resulted in a medical repatriation rate calculated at 1.4%. We used the 10th revision of the International
Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) to determine the most common
causes of repatriation. We found that these were musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal problems,
and traumatic injuries. The distribution of the specific illnesses per organ system is presented.
Conclusions: Filipinos continue to represent the most numerous group of seafarers in the world. The continued
profiling of health issues should lead to better health protocols and controlling medical costs. It
should also lead to better prioritisation of health protection and care on board ships. Within the present
10-year database of medical repatriations coinciding with the implementation of Maritime Convention
Labour Convention 2006, there is a compelling need to compare the two data sets to have an objective
evaluation of the convention’s projected goals.
Keywords
occupational health, medical repatriation, epidemiology, seafarers, occupational injury
About this articleTitle
Five-year (2015–2019) follow-up study of 6,526 cases of medical repatriation of Filipino seafarers
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original article
Pages
161-170
Published online
2023-09-26
Page views
266
Article views/downloads
401
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
IMH 2023;74(3):161-170.
Keywords
occupational health
medical repatriation
epidemiology
seafarers
occupational injury
Authors
Antonio Roberto M. Abaya
Jonathan P. Chan
Jian Kenzo O. Leal
Raymond Francis R. Sarmiento
Saren Bongalonta-Roldan
Jaime Jose Lorenzo C. De Rivera
References (20)- International Labor Organization. Decent work for Seafarers. https://www.ilo.org/manila/areasofwork/WCMS_379393/lang--en/index.htm ((Last accessed 26 June 2023)).
- BIMCO ICS Seafarer Workforce report 2021. www.bimco.org/about-us-and-our-members?publications/seafarers-workforce-report.
- Statista. Number of seafarers deployed overseas from the Philippines from 2016 to 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1269763/philippines-amount-of-seafarers-deployed-overseas/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20about%20345.52%20thousand,to%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic (Last accessed 26 June 2023).
- Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. International Labour Conference. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---normes/documents/normativeinstrument/wcms_090250.pdf (Last accessed 26 June 2023).
- Lefkowitz RY, Slade MD, Redlich CA. Injury, illness, and work restriction in merchant seafarers. Am J Ind Med. 2015; 58(6): 688–696.
- Lefkowitz R, Slade M, Redlich C. Risk factors for merchant seafarer repatriation due to injury or illness at sea. Int Marit Health. 2015; 66(2): 61–66.
- Ehara M, Muramatsu S, Sano Y, et al. The tendency of diseases among seamen during the last fifteen years in Japan. Ind Health. 2006; 44(1): 155–160.
- Ádám B. Association between nationality and occupational injury risk on Danish non-passenger merchant ships. Int Marit Health. 2013; 64(3): 121–125.
- Sagaro GG, Angeloni U, Marotta C, et al. The magnitude of cardiovascular disease risk factors in seafarers from 1994 to 2021: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Pers Med. 2023; 13(5).
- Abaya AR, Roldan S, Ongchangco JC, et al. Repatriation rates in Filipino seafarers: a five-year study of 6,759 cases. Int Marit Health. 2015; 66(4): 189–195.
- ICD-10 Version:2019 [Internet]. icd.who.int. 2019. https://icd.who.int/browse10/2019/en.
- Sagaro GG, Dicanio M, Battineni G, et al. Incidence of occupational injuries and diseases among seafarers: a descriptive epidemiological study based on contacts from onboard ships to the Italian Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service in Rome, Italy. BMJ Open. 2021; 11(3): e044633.
- Bilir NA, Scheit L, Dirksen-Fischer M, et al. Accidents, diseases and health complaints among seafarers on German-flagged container ships. BMC Public Health. 2023; 23(1): 963.
- Jensen OC, Flores A, Baygi F, et al. Follow-up of citations of maritime epidemiological injury studies. Int Marit Health. 2020; 71(1): 62–70.
- Dahl E. Crew referrals to dentists and medical specialist ashore: a descriptive study of practice on three passenger vessels during one year. Int Marit Health. 2006; 57(1-4): 127–135.
- Flum DR, Davidson GH, Monsell SE, et al. CODA Collaborative. A randomized trial comparing antibiotics with appendectomy for appendicitis. N Engl J Med. 2020; 383(20): 1907–1919.
- Yang Z, Sun F, Ai S, et al. Meta-analysis of studies comparing conservative treatment with antibiotics and appendectomy for acute appendicitis in the adult. BMC Surg. 2019; 19(1): 110.
- Sajjad MN, Naumeri F, Hina S. Non-operative treatment versus appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis: A randomized controlled trial. Pak J Med Sci. 2021; 37(5): 1276–1281.
- Moris D, Paulson EK, Pappas TN. Diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis in adults: a review. JAMA. 2021; 326(22): 2299–2311.
- Salminen P, Paajanen H, Rautio T, et al. Antibiotic therapy vs appendectomy for treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis: the APPAC randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2015; 313(23): 2340–2348.
