A Study of the Health of Seafaring Workers of Valencia, Spain

Under the auspices of the Service of Maritime Health of the Marine Social Institute of Valencia, Spain, the health status of seafaring workers from Valencia was evaluated. An epidemiologic study was carried out based on 707 pre-embarkation health examinations, collecting information about the health problems of these workers and their associated risk factors. The data were analyzed to estimate population frequencies and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Significance among groups was calculated by the chi-square test (p0.05). Relative risks were calculated in comparisons of the seafaring workers with the general population of Valencia. High incidences of ophthalmologic disorders we…