Federal committee asks mariners about COVID-19 and mental health
The US government asks mariners to fill out a survey about COVID-19 at sea, including the mental health challenges they face.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent
The US Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS) has asked mariners and seafarers from all domestic maritime industry segments to complete an anonymous survey about their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CMTS established C-19 WG, also known as the COVID-19 Working Group, presented the online survey entitled “Mariner Mental Health Needs during COVID-19.”
The Maritime Executive reports that the study is under independent coordination by Dr. Marissa Baker, an assistant professor and the industrial hygiene program director for the University of Washington’s School of Public Health.
Responses from individuals will be kept confidential at the university, with the survey permitting mariners to skip through any questions that they might not feel comfortable answering.
“Your voice is very important to helping improve mental health access and outcomes for your fellow mariners, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads a description on the survey’s web portal.
“Your input is critical to understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected mariners, particularly the mental health of mariners,” the website adds.
The survey only takes ten minutes, the website states.
