Psychosocial aspects of seafaring

Рассмотрены основные социально-психологические профессионально обусловленные проблемы, с которыми сталкивается моряк в море и на берегу. Показано, что специфика условий и характера труда, режимов труда и отдыха, психоэмоциональный стресс, длительная социальная изоляция и сексуальная депривация, вахтенный труд, хронобиологические факторы рейса лежат в основе хронического физиологического утомления, эмоционального и профессионального выгорания, психобиологических изменений организма и личности моряка.Вопросы профилактики и обеспечения безопасности плавсостава необходимо решать объединенными усилиями судовладельцев, профсоюзов и компетентных международных организаций.Розглянуті основні соціально психологічні проблеми, з якими зустрічається моряк в морі та вдома. Показано, що специфіка умові та характеру праці, режимів праці і відпочинку, психоемоційний стрес, довгочасна соціальна ізоляція і сексуальна депривація, вахтовий характер трудової діяльності, хронобіологічні фактори рейсу лежать в основі хронічної фізіологічної втоми, емоційного та професійного вигоряння, психофіологічних змін організму та особистості моряка. Питання профілактики і забезпечення безпеки плавскладу необхідно вирішувати об’єданими зусиллями судновласників, профспілок та компетентних міжнародних організацій

Standards for quality assurance of pre-employment medical examinations of seafarers: the IMHA Quality experience

Standards to assess the quality of doctors and clinics performing pre-employment medical examinations (PEMEs) were developed for International Maritime Health Association (IMHA) Quality, a not for profit organisation, created to provide an ethically sound and professional accepted accreditation system that would benefit seafarers having PEMEs and employers, insurers and national maritime authorities seeking valid assessments of seafarers’ fitness for duty. These standards followed a format widely used in other healthcare settings, where assessment of clinical performance is desirable. Uptake of these standards by doctors and clinics was not as expected, as they did not see sufficient business benefits coming from accreditation to justify the costs. This was, at least in part, because there was some antagonism to a professionally based accreditation system from commercial interest groups such as insurers, while national maritime authorities did not come forward to use the system as a recommendation or requirement for approval of doctors. The IMHA Quality accreditation system has now been closed and for this reason we are making the standards publicly available. Those who helped to develop them hope that doctors and clinics will now use them as a means of improving the quality of their practice when performing PEME

PCR diagnosis of tick-borne pathogens in Maharashtra state, India indicates fitness cost associated with carrier infections is greater for crossbreed than native cattle breeds

Tick-borne pathogens (TBP) are responsible for significant economic losses to cattle production, globally. This is particularly true in countries like India where TBP constrain rearing of high yielding Bos taurus, as they show susceptibility to acute tick borne disease (TBD), most notably tropical theileriosis caused by Theileria annulata. This has led to a programme of cross breeding Bos taurus (Holstein-Friesian or Jersey) with native Bos indicus (numerous) breeds to generate cattle that are more resistant to disease. However, the cost to fitness of subclinical carrier infection in crossbreeds relative to native breeds is unknown, but could represent a significant hidden economic cost. In this study, a total of 1052 bovine blood samples, together with associated data on host type, sex and body score, were collected from apparently healthy animals in four different agro-climatic zones of Maharashtra state. Samples were screened by PCR for detection of five major TBPs: T. annulata, T. orientalis, B. bigemina, B. bovis and Anaplasma spp.. The results demonstrated that single and co-infection with TBP are common, and although differences in pathogen spp. prevalence across the climatic zones were detected, simplistic regression models predicted that host type, sex and location are all likely to impact on prevalence of TBP. In order to remove issues with autocorrelation between variables, a subset of the dataset was modelled to assess any impact of TBP infection on body score of crossbreed versus native breed cattle (breed type). The model showed significant association between infection with TBP (particularly apicomplexan parasites) and poorer body condition for crossbreed animals. These findings indicate potential cost of TBP carrier infection on crossbreed productivity. Thus, there is a case for development of strategies for targeted breeding to combine productivity traits with disease resistance, or to prevent transmission of TBP in India for economic benefit