open access

Vol 69, No 3 (2018)
Original article
Submitted: 2018-06-06
Accepted: 2018-09-05
Published online: 2018-09-27
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A qualitative study on physical health threatening factors of Iranian seafarers working on ocean going tankers

Fereshteh Baygi1, Olaf Chersten Jensen1, Ali Asghar Farshad2, Farzad Shidfar2, Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi3
·
Pubmed: 34428880
·
IMH 2018;69(3):192-200.
Affiliations
  1. Centre of Maritime Health and Society, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark
  2. Occupational Health Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  3. Department of Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning Research, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

open access

Vol 69, No 3 (2018)
MARITIME/OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE Original article
Submitted: 2018-06-06
Accepted: 2018-09-05
Published online: 2018-09-27

Abstract

Background: Seafaring is a highly physically demanding profession in a risky environment due to exposure to unique job health related risk factors. The purpose of the study is to describe physical health threatening factors of Iranian seafarers working on tankers.

Materials and methods: A qualitative content analysis with inductive approach was performed on 17 Iranian male seafarers in 2016. Subjects were selected by purposive sampling, which continued until data saturation. Data were gathered using semi-structural questionnaire via in-depth-interviews. All interviews were transformed into computer files. Analysis was done based on conventional content analysis approach.

Results: Mean job history and age of the participants was 11.9 ± 7.2 and 35.8 ± 9.3 years, respectively. Two main themes emerged during analysis of data and categories were created. The themes are (1) physical health threatening factors at the ship; (2) high risk ranks at the ship.

Conclusions: The need for addressing nutrition at sea was acknowledged by seafarers. Also, it seems that revision of some regulations regarding seafarers’ medical examination, oral health and heart diseases is necessary.

Abstract

Background: Seafaring is a highly physically demanding profession in a risky environment due to exposure to unique job health related risk factors. The purpose of the study is to describe physical health threatening factors of Iranian seafarers working on tankers.

Materials and methods: A qualitative content analysis with inductive approach was performed on 17 Iranian male seafarers in 2016. Subjects were selected by purposive sampling, which continued until data saturation. Data were gathered using semi-structural questionnaire via in-depth-interviews. All interviews were transformed into computer files. Analysis was done based on conventional content analysis approach.

Results: Mean job history and age of the participants was 11.9 ± 7.2 and 35.8 ± 9.3 years, respectively. Two main themes emerged during analysis of data and categories were created. The themes are (1) physical health threatening factors at the ship; (2) high risk ranks at the ship.

Conclusions: The need for addressing nutrition at sea was acknowledged by seafarers. Also, it seems that revision of some regulations regarding seafarers’ medical examination, oral health and heart diseases is necessary.

Get Citation

Keywords

Qualitative study, physical health threatening factors, seafarers

About this article
Title

A qualitative study on physical health threatening factors of Iranian seafarers working on ocean going tankers

Journal

International Maritime Health

Issue

Vol 69, No 3 (2018)

Article type

Original article

Pages

192-200

Published online

2018-09-27

Page views

1825

Article views/downloads

1107

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2018.0031

Pubmed

34428880

Bibliographic record

IMH 2018;69(3):192-200.

Keywords

Qualitative study
physical health threatening factors
seafarers

Authors

Fereshteh Baygi
Olaf Chersten Jensen
Ali Asghar Farshad
Farzad Shidfar
Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi

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