INFLUENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS RELATED TO LIFE-STYLE ON MORTALITY AMONG MERCHANT SEAFARERS

Objectives. The aim of the present historical cohort study was to enha nce the understanding of the unusual mortality pattern seen among seaf arers. The main object was to describe the mortality pattern of Danish seafarers in recent years with special reference to the influence of accidents in the maritime workplace and ashore and the influence of di seases related to lifestyle. Subjects. A cohort of 24 132 male seafare rs of all job categories employed on a Danish merchant ship between 19 86 and 1993, was followed up. Mortality among those who left the occup ation before the end of the fellow-up period was analysed separately. Results. The standardized mortality ratio was 1.43 (95% CI:1.33-1.54) from all causes and 3.05 (95% CI:2.62-3.52) from accidents. An excess mortality from natural causes was attributable mostly to an excess amo ng deck and engine room crew and was mainly caused by diseases related to lifestyle. While active as seafarers, the SMR for accidents was 2. 62 (95% CI:2.12-3.20), accidents at the workplace explaining almost ha lf the deaths. Among those who left shipping, the risk of fatal accide nts increased. All categories of seafarers continued to have a high ri sk of fatal accidents into older age. Conclusion. Merchant seafarers w ere shown to have a higher mortality than the general population. Desp ite a very high risk of fatal accidents in the workplace, these accide nts could only explain a proportion of the observed excess mortality. Accidents ashore and diseases related to lifestyle factors such as dri nking and smoking made a major contribution to the obeserved excess mo rtality. The results indicate that people in occupations with a high r isk of fatal accidents at the workplace also seem to have a high risk of accidents away from the workplace after leaving the occupation. The high risk lifestyle seems to be linked to lifestyle in general and he nce the related diseases and high risk of death.