A quantitative study on the mental health of Turkish seafarers

Abstract

Physically and mentally healthy seafarers with professional knowledge and skills are needed for maritime transportation to be safe and sustainable. Mental problems experienced by seafarers can lead to negative consequences, such as bullying, substance dependency, assault, murder and suicide. Accordingly, this study examined the effects of differences between the socio-demographic characteristics of Turkish seafarers on their depression, which is an important criterion for determining mental disorders. Data collected from 403 participants through quantitative research methods were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 and AMOS version 23.0. Although periodic physical and mental health checks are performed on seafarers, it was found from the analysis results that 33.2% of Turkish seafarers experience mental issues. Moreover, the study determined that the socio-demographic characteristics of seafarers made some differences in their depression levels.