Madrid (EFE).- A study by the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) reveals that sleep problems and an increased risk of cancer are the “main threats” to airline pilots in Spain, taking into account that 56 percent of them have an abnormal dream that favors drowsiness.
In addition, 54.3 percent of short-distance pilots and 40.4 percent of long-distance pilots consider that “they do not have enough rest between flights”, according to the epidemiological study on Spanish aviation pilots. that the UCM has carried out.
The survey, entitled “What diseases affect pilots?”, has had the collaboration of the Official College of Commercial Aviation Pilots (Copac).
According to the Pittsburgh Questionnaire (PSQI) carried out on the sample, it can be seen that 61 percent of the subjects had “low quality” sleep, while that percentage rose to almost 68 percent among the group of pilots who they travel long distances.
The survey carried out among this professional group also concludes that the prevalence of cancer in pilots is higher than in the general Spanish population.
Prostate cancer and melanoma appear in airplane pilots with a much higher percentage
Specifically, the cases of prostate (32 percent) and melanoma (18 percent) appear with a “much higher” percentage than that which can be found among the general Spanish population.
The researchers point out that the pilots make up a group with “better diet and exercise habits than the general population”, but their special conditions of their work (such as the pressurized habitat, low humidity, time changes or mental demand) mean ” a great physical and mental challenge”.
This is also reflected, they add, in the fact that two thirds of the study subjects suffer from musculoskeletal disorders (low back pain, back pain, neck pain) caused by postural overloads and there is a greater predisposition to certain types of cancer.
On the other hand, they point out that 28.2 percent of the pilots studied present “overload of work” when evaluated by the NASA method, that 18 percent suffer from severe fatigue and that 20 percent suffer daytime sleepiness, between moderate and serious.
And they add that these last three factors are usually concurrent and “can seriously compromise the health and performance of these professionals.”