engleski

The health bahaviour among students of maritime study

Background From our experience, seafarers are prone to develop diseases, associated with risk behaviours, such as heavy smoking, alcoholism, drugs addictions and sexually transmitted diseases. For example, the seafarers have high rate of HIV infection and AIDS in our county. Aim of the study was to establish the risk factors (habits and behaviours) among students that could influence on development of addictions and related diseases in the future seafarers. Methods The data were collected during systematic medical examination of university students at the first year of their study. The questionnaire contained references to: personal and family history, habits (eating, smoking, drinking, sexual), physical activity, drugs abuse and mental health. We acquired the data for 1620 students from five faculties of University of Rijeka in academic year 2004/05. The data were compared by odds-ratio using epidemiological software package EpiInfo. Results Although we have found several risk behaviours more often among maritime students, only few of them were statistically significant. Cigarette smoking (OR=1, 79, 95% CI=1, 32-2, 45) and alcohol drinking (OR=1, 41, 95% CI=0, 90-2, 22) were more frequent among students of Faculty of Maritime, as well as getting drunk (OR=1, 83, 95% CI=1, 07-3, 14). Maritime students were at lower risk for mental disorders such as feeling depressed (OR=0, 58, 95% CI=0, 42-0, 78) and having concentration difficulties (OR=0, 49, 95% CI=0, 36-0, 66). Drugs abuse in general was more frequent among other students compared to maritime students, but not statistically significant (OR=0, 82, 95% CI=0, 52- 1, 27). Still, the abuse of sedatives (OR=2, 71, 95% CI not calculable) and amphetamines (OR=1, 36, 95% CI not calculable) were more common among maritime students. Maritime students were also more sexually active than other students (OR=2, 17, 95% CI=1, 44-3, 28), having more than one partner annually (OR=1, 60 95% CI=1, 11-2, 60). Conclusions The study has shown that students enrolling to maritime studies are more adventurous and more likely to already have an unhealthy life style Positive mental health indicators are in correspondence with the expectations that the maritime study puts upon student as a future seafarer which is stressful and demanding job

behaviour; health; maritime study; students

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