Due to the prevalence of BHR in a spectrum of clinical patients and working populations, clinicians should be aware that BHR is not specific for asthma. When performed correctly, the greatest clinical value of BHR testing is to rule out suspected asthma in patients in whom testing is negative. Assessment of BHR also provides insights into the pathological mechanisms of airway disease.

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This study emphasizes illness as a significant problem occurring in seafarers at sea. Future research should further elucidate risk factors for illness, as well as injury, to inform preventive measures and reduce seafarer disability.

Objective: Describe health conditions and injury and illness rates in a population of United States mariners, an understudied workforce vital to economic security. Methods: In this survey study, mariner health data was collected and analyzed to provide injury and illness rates (including mental health conditions) and associated risk factors. Results: In this mariner population of highly tenured vessel masters and pilots, hypertension, obesity, sleep disorders, smoking, alcohol consumption, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were common. BMI ≥35 was associated with increased likelihood of work injury (OR 5.7; 95%CI 1.01, 32.59). Conclusions: The mariners were in poor overall health, raising public health and safety concerns in this population of essential transportation workers. Follow-up studies including a wider distribution of domestic mariners (deck hands, engineers) would further characterize occupational risks.

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