A Study on the Relation between Job Stressors and Stress Reactions in Seamen

Abstract

In order to investigate the relationship between various psychosocial factors, and mental health, a survey was conducted by means of a self-rating questionnaire on 793 seamen of domestic-trade ships. The questionnaire includes items concerning Goldberg's 12 selected items from Japanese version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and other original psycho-social items. A total of 290 or 36.6% surveyed seamen of domestic-trade ships responded to the questionnaire. Mental health level was dichotomyzed by GHQ score, namely, GHQ low score grou (GHQ score from two points and under), GHQ hight score group (GHQ score from three point up). At the deck crews of domestic-trade ships, main job stress factors of the GHQ hight score group were "no allowance in the schedule", "dissatisfaction not being possible to land", "change of ship style" and "a sense of uneasiness to new equipments". At the engine crews of domestic-trade ships, main job stress factors of GHQ high score group were "dissatisfaction for frequent departure", "engine trouble" and, "a sizable amount of work". At the deck and engine crews of domestic-trade ships, main job stress factors of GHQ high score group were "communication".