title: Symptoms of fatigue and coping strategies in maritime pilotage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known regarding the symptoms of fatigue that maritime pilots experience during shift work. Moreover, the strategies these individuals use to cope with the onset of fatigue are also unknown. The current study explored the symptoms of fatigue and coping strategies experienced by maritime pilots when on-shift.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty maritime pilots were recruited via an advertisement in the national association's quarterly newsletter (Mage = 51.42; SD = 9.81). Participants responded to a modified version of the questionnaire used with aviation pilots that assessed overall fatigue, and the symptoms pilots associated with fatigue on duty. Methods pilots used to cope with fatigue before shift and when on the bridge were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant effects for pilot vitality on 4 categories of fatigue: cognitive dysfunction; emotional disturbance; mean physical effects; and sleepiness. There were no significant effects for vitality on any of the self-reported coping strategy factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings indicated that maritime pilots experience a variety of physical, behavioural, and cognitive fatigue symptoms when on shift. Some of these symptoms are similar to those reported by aviation pilots. However, unlike aviation pilots, maritime pilots reported utilising self-sufficient coping strategies to deal with the experience of fatigue.
authors: School of Psychological Sciences, Australian Collage of Applied Psychology, Melbourne, Australia. tim.chambers@acap.edu.au.
authors: Timothy P
authors: TP
authors: Chambers
authors: Luana C
authors: LC
authors: Main
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009326:Naval Medicine; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D057566:Self Report; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000523:psychology*