Page 52 - Layout 1

7 Illness

7.3 Illness claims

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) – mainly caused by:

The most common illness for all three types of vessel• Obesity
• Poor diet
is cardiovascular disease (or coronary heart disease),
• Smoking
which is also the most costly. The crew cannot do much
while on board to prevent illness from happening apart • Physicalinactivity

from focussing on a healthy diet and exercise. It is very

traumatising and complicated for the entire crew to deal
with seriously ill crew members on board. The importance
Risk assessments can be made by considering
of ensuring that the crew members are healthy before
the following:
joining the vessel is the best prevention and for the
company to support and actively try to encourage healthy • Age
• Gender
living and exercise.
• Bloodpressure
One of the main causes of coronary heart disease is high
serum cholesterol levels, which increase in men at around 45 • Cholesterol, including high density lipids
• Family history of CVD
to 50 years of age, and is very hard to prevent. This means
that crew members over 45 years old run a greater risk of • Smoking

suffering from cardiovascular disease.• Diabetes
• Important to have a Pre-Engagement Medical
This, coupled with a predicted shortage of oficers in
the near future, could lead to an increase in cardiovascular Examination (PEME), because many things can be

disease statistics as older oficers will continue to serve on detected that are not work-related

board due to the dificulty of inding replacements.
It is important that shipowners are aware of the risk

factors that can cause heart disease and stroke, which

include raised blood pressure, high cholesterol and glucose
levels, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight,

obesity, smoking and physical inactivity. Addressing these

issues is essential.

Illness claims case study 1
determining a crewmember’s health. If health certiicates
The crew member had smoked for around 40 years and had are not treated seriously by doctors, it could lead to severe

a valid health certiicate. While he was working on board he consequences, as in this case.

suffered a heart attack and was rushed to hospital. In the
days prior to this he had experienced shortness of breath

and a rapid heart rate. At the hospital he was found to have Illness claims case study 2

respiratory failure and required mechanical ventilation, he A crew member suffered a stroke on board the vessel and
had little if any respiratory reserve. The cause was diagnosed was repatriated by helicopter to the nearest hospital. At

to be Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This the hospital he was surgically treated for three aneurisms.

means that the airways become narrowed, limiting theIn addition, he suffered a complication after surgery
low of air from the lungs. The most common cause is from resulting in another operation and a prolonged stay in

smoking. After a couple of weeks he was inally allowed to intensive care for one month. He was inally discharged
and repatriated under escort to his native country where
leave hospital and ly home to his native country to rest and
receive further treatment. Unfortunately he was found dead he was immediately transferred to a specialist clinic,

in his home a couple of weeks later.where intensive physical therapy was arranged. The crew
member will not be it for duty after the end of the

Causes:treatment.

Heavy smoking for several years. The health certiicate did

not identify any concerns and questions must be raised
as to whether a normal health certiicate is suficient for

www.swedishclub.com 50