International Maritime Health 2011, tom 62, nr 1

In this issue of our journal you will find a paper on HIV testing and prevention in the cruise industry, being  a continuation of the subject of several papers published in Nr 4/2010 of the IMH.  There are also papers on the psychological aspects in maritime medicine and a number of articles on the  health problems of the military personnel sent on peacekeeping missions abroad...

There are no internationally recognized guidelines regarding HIV for employees on cruise ships. The aim of the study was to survey and compare current practices for crews in the cruise industry regarding HIV testing and prevention...

Poor oral health of seafarers is known to cause pain and suffering for individuals and logistical complications for shipping companies during voyages. The aim of the study was to discuss the oral health of seafarers against the backdrop of available publications...

Decompression sickness (DCS) is classified on the basis of which organ system is affected, and  neurological DCS is considered more severe than DCS in joints and skin with respect to response  to recompression treatment and risk of long-term sequelae. Gas bubble formation interstitially in  the tissues or in the circulation is considered to be the mechanism for all types of DCS...

Other studies have shed light on specific types of seafarers’ job stressors and job satisfaction. However, so far there have not been any systematic attempts to capture the motivational profile of seafarers when it comes to both work demands and work resources. The purpose of this study is to explore the motivational profiles of seafarers in the Danish merchant fleet by identifying factors which motivate or demotivate seafarers to stay in their specific profession...

The aim of this paper is to present the program of diagnostic examinations regarding the detection and following treatment of intestinal parasitic diseases in the population of Polish soldiers serving in different climatic and sanitary conditions. Intestinal parasitoses remain one of the health problems of soldiers participating in contemporary military operations...

The article presents the results of the author’s own studies concerning the morbidity profile in the group of soldiers serving in the Polish Military Contingent (PMC) deployed to Chad in the period May 2008–April 2009 within the framework of a European Union operation (EUFOR) and a United Nations peacekeeping mission (MINURCAT)...

This paper reviews the most common health hazards occurring among personnel of peacekeeping and stabilization missions functioning within armed conflicts in the contemporary world. Military operations have been executed in diverse climatic and sanitary conditions, which are frequently unfamiliar for their participants. Some of them, e.g. the UN peacekeeping missions in the Middle East (Lebanon, the Golan Heights), have been carried out in a relatively stable geopolitical environment...

This article presents the results of individual research concerning the sickness profile in the group of soldiers of the Polish Military Contingent (PMC) deployed to Afghanistan within the international stabilization forces in the years 2003–2005...

The system of medical support in the territory of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan is based on four levels of medical treatment. Level 4 is organized outside the war theatre, in the territories of the countries that are a part of the stabilization forces of international organizations (NATO)...