FOCUS Mariner Mental Health
Well-Being Depression, anxiety and isolation increased among mariners during the pandemic. By Pamela Glass, Washington Correspondent
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he pandemic has not been kind to the mental health of U.S. mariners, including those that work in the inland, coastal and harbor tug sectors. Mariners who have worked nonstop through the pandemic report feeling more depressed, isolated, fearful of becoming sick from Covid-19, worried about their families and finances, and more anxious and stressed than prior to the onset of the pandemic. This has led to poor sleep quality, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and for some, suicidal thoughts. All this on top of an already stressful job environment onboard vessels, and what they perceive as a weak system of support and understanding for their mental health concerns by employers and a lack of access to mental health
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Cody Foster
Mariners who have worked nonstop through the pandemic report feeling more depressed, isolated, fearful of becoming sick from Covid-19, worried about their families and finances, and more anxious and stressed than prior to the pandemic, a recent study concluded.
services. These are some of the key findings of a recent study on mariner mental health led by Dr. Marissa Baker at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle, in partnership with the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System Covid-19 Working Group and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
STRESS, ANXIETY Data was collected in an online survey done between Jan. 25, 2021, through July 31, 2021, from 1,559 respondents in all maritime sectors, the majority of whom actively sailed through the pandemic. Respondents were mostly white men between the ages of 25-64, but there were also many female mariners in the group.
Of the total responses, 381 came from mariners working on inland and coastal vessels, harbor tugs and Jones Act vessels. According to the survey, 20% of all respondents had high scores for major depressive disorder, 22% for anxiety, 9% for suicidal ideation, 38% for elevated stress, and 18% for PTSD. Half of respondents had high scores for at least one of the five mental health outcomes measured, the study said, while almost half reported that their mental health got worse during the pandemic, and 26% said their sleep quality worsened. Those having depressive tendencies also have elevated feelings of isolation and anxiety. Many of these conditions are made worse when mariners are denied shore leave, restricted from getting on or off a vessel, are worried about family who were sick with Covid, or have no or limited access to the internet. These feelings are prevalent among respondents working in the inland industry. “About half of respondents in this sector reported a restricted ability to get on and off the vessel, and half reported being worried about being away from family during the pandemic,” Baker said in an interview. “Even for those workers in this sector who may go home at the end of every day, the stress of living and working during the pandemic was apparent.” Women, younger workers and those with certain credentials (cadet, unlicensed engine officer — unlimited, licensed Deck Officer — unlimited tonnage on oceans, and licensed engineer officer. — unlimited horsepower) and in certain industries in the Great Lakes, offshore energy, Military Sealift Command and NOAA, had higher rates of adverse mental health problems. Baker noted that higher rates among women and younger mariners is explained by the fact that they tend to be newer to the pressures of the profession and come from a generation that more freely expresses their feelings. “This emphasizes to me that employers should be ensuring that they are
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