Keywords
pre-trip medical examinations
chronic fatigue
peptic ulcer
How to Cite
Abstract
Aim. Chronic fatigue and fatigue-associated diseases restrict the active longevity and working capacity of seamen. By the age of 50, the most of seamen finish their career in marine fleet for medical or psychological reasons. The purpose of the work is to study the prevalence and effectiveness of detecting gastrointestinal disorders associated with chronic fatigue in seamen during pre-trip medical examinations.
Materials and methods. As a part of the retrospective study of the fleet personnel during 12 months in 2018 at the medical center (“Vivamed”, Odesa, Ukraine), the results of 8,865 seamen pre-trip medical examinations were analyzed in order to identify diseases of the gastrointestinal group associated with chronic fatigue.
Results. Analysis of the results of medical examinations revealed 1,621 seamen requiring regular medical check-up and/or an additional examination and treatment. Of them, 770 (47.5%) patients were observed for diseases associated with malnutrition and different gastrointestinal disorders, 447 (27.5%) seamen had diseases of the cardiovascular system, 404 (25%) seamen were classified as a medical group with other pathological conditions. Among diseases associated with chronic fatigue, obesity made up 314 cases (3.5% of all seamen; 19.3% – on the regular medical check-up); peptic ulcer – 19 seamen (0.2% of all seamen; 1.1% – on the regular medical check-up). One seaman had irritable bowel syndrome (0.01% of all seamen; 0.06% – on the regular medical check-up).
Conclusions. The diseases associated with chronic fatigue are the main group of diseases for regular medical check-up or suspension from work of seamen. The gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastric ulcer and the irritable bowel syndrome, are diagnosed less than expected during medical examinations as compared with other diseases and in absolute numbers. Underdiagnosis is associated with both symptom relief during the period between trips and the non-disclosure of seamen's complaints. The organizational features of the work of the medical commission exclude a possibility of primary detection of peptic ulcer and irritable bowel syndrome in seamen.
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