A broader vision of seafarer wellbeing: survey of ITF maritime affiliates on HIV/AIDS, health and wellbeing is based on responses by 34 trade unions in 30 countries and 608 individual seafarers covering their views on HIV/AIDS and wider questions of their health and wellbeing. One aim of the survey was to present HIV/AIDS as a standard health issue rather than a cause of stigma and fear.
One finding was that some of the myths of HIV/AIDS persist, despite many decades of education. In one country that supplies the seafaring workforce, only 17 percent of respondents believed condoms were effective in preventing it, and 46 percent believed it could be spread in food and drink.
The wider health questions found that many seafarers had worries about weight, depression and alcohol use. In responses from one seafarer supplying country, 75 percent said they knew workmates who were depressed.
ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith said: “We believe this is the most exhaustive current investigation into this subject, and we offer its findings to everyone concerned with the welfare of seafarers."
Dr Asif Altaf, ITF HIV/AIDS coordinator, said that the survey showed the need for a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme that addressed the needs of seafarers and issues such as stigma and discrimination around HIV, as well as important topics like depression and obesity.
The ITF will be using the survey findings to help develop a programme to enable its affiliated unions to ensure better health and wellbeing for their members and seafarers globally.
A broader vision of seafarer wellbeing: survey of ITF maritime affiliates on HIV/AIDS, health and wellbeing can be found here.
