Anatomy of a world cruise.
METHODS
We registered the patient-related activities of a large cruise ship's medical center during a 103-day worldwide voyage and compared data from 694 passengers (53% women) with median age 66 years with data from 540 crew (27% women) with median age 30 years of age.


RESULTS
The medical staff had 3033 (1537 crew, 1496 passenger) consultations (=206 consultations per week) and performed 982 diagnostic procedures. Skin disorders dominated in the crew and were more frequent than in the passengers (29% versus 13%, p<.01), respiratory problems dominated in the passengers and were more frequent than in the crew (26% versus 17%, p<.01), while cardiovascular disorders were more common in the passengers (7% versus 1%, p<.01). Forty-six injuries (35 passengers, 11 crew) were recorded. One passenger died aboard. Seventy-six crew (14%) were not able to work for a total of 110 days (1.1 crew sick per day), while five crew were signed off for medical reasons.


CONCLUSIONS
To be a doctor or nurse on a large cruise ship during a long sea voyage is no vacation. The medical staff should expect a varied general practice with a higher consultation frequency rate than shoreside, even higher in crew
Dahl
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Crystal Cruises, Los Angeles, California, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006693:Holidays; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012767:Ships; D014195:Travel; D016526:Workload