Surveillance of Hospital Contacts among Danish Seafarers and Fishermen with Focus on Skin and Infectious Diseases—A Population-Based Cohort Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Linda Kaerlev²  Anker Jensen³  Harald Hannerz¹ 

[1] National Institute of Occupational Health, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark; E-Mail:;Research Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense 5000, Denmark; E-Mail:;Department of Occupational Health, Hospital of South Western Jutland, Esbjerg 6700, Denmark; E-Mail:

关键词: seamen;    fishermen;    hospital;    epidemiology;    occupational;    disease;    surveillance;    risk;    skin;    infection;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph111111931

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Objectives: A systematic overview of time trends in hospital contacts among Danish seafarers and fishermen by job title and analyses on skin and infectious diseases. Methods: Occupational cohorts with hospital contacts 1994–1998 and 1999–2003. Standardized hospital contact ratios (SHCR) were estimated using national rates and ranked by SHCR size. Results: For non-officers in 1994–1998, infectious diseases had the highest SHCR, followed by neoplastic and endocrinal diseases; in 1999–2003 skin diseases were followed by endocrinal and gastrointestinal diseases. For fishermen in 1994–1998, nervous system, gastrointestinal, and skin diseases had the highest SHCRs; in 1999–2003 it was nervous system, skin, and lymphohematopoietic diseases. As for skin diseases, male fishermen and non-officer seamen generally had increased SHCRs, but engine room personnel specifically had a low SHCR for eczema (eight cases). Fishermen had high SHCRs for tuberculosis in both time periods (six and nine cases, respectively). Non-officer seamen on cargo ships had increased SHCRs for HIV in both time periods and for hepatitis in 1994–1999. Extending the follow-up until 2000 or 2005 showed similar results. Conclusions: Surveillance of seamen’s health gives useful information. The elevated SHCR for HIV infection among non-officers has not declined despite preventive information campaigns. Tuberculosis among fishermen may be due to infection on shore. Skin diseases had very high SHCRs, not due to cutaneous oil exposure.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.