A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies

Okan Bilgin; Murat Bayraktar

doi:10.33714/masteb.1912554

A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies

Abstract

The resilience and uninterrupted operation of maritime shipping, which carries the largest proportion of the world’s traded goods, constitute a fundamental prerequisite for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals. In an era characterised by rapid digitalisation and technological progress, even the most sophisticated machinery and monitoring systems cannot ensure smooth ship operations within the scope of maritime transportation; this is directly contingent upon experience, education, the well-being, and psychological health of the seafarers. This study conducts a systematic review of literature published over the preceding, decade focusing on the physical and psychological well-being of seafarers, utilising the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework in conjunction with VOSviewer (version 1.6.20) for bibliometric analysis. The analysis identified prevalent psychological disorders among seafarers, delineated the critical temporal phases of heightened vulnerability, and pinpointed specific ship operations posing heightened risk. While stress, depression, and fatigue have long been prevalent in the maritime profession, the Covid-19 pandemic served as a critical multiplier, substantially increasing their prevalence and severity among seafarers. Mitigating these adverse outcomes necessitates a multifaceted approach encompassing targeted training programmes, robust social support mechanisms, enhanced medical care provision, and reliable access to communication, along with adherence to the provisions stipulated in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

Keywords

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Maritime Business Administration

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Okan Bilgin ^*
0000-0001-6233-4290
Türkiye

Murat Bayraktar
0000-0001-7252-4776
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

June 10, 2026

Publication Date

-

Submission Date

March 18, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 3, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication

DOI

https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1912554

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA58ME44FB

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Bilgin, O., & Bayraktar, M. (2026). A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin, Advanced Online Publication, 79-90. https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1912554

AMA

1.Bilgin O, Bayraktar M. A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies. Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull. 2026;(Advanced Online Publication):79-90. doi:10.33714/masteb.1912554

Chicago

Bilgin, Okan, and Murat Bayraktar. 2026. “A Systematic Review of Seafarers’ Psychological Well-Being and Distress Encompassing Common Disorders, Risk Factors, Critical Periods, and Protective Strategies”. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin, no. Advanced Online Publication: 79-90. https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1912554.

EndNote

Bilgin O, Bayraktar M (June 1, 2026) A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin Advanced Online Publication 79–90.

IEEE

[1]O. Bilgin and M. Bayraktar, “A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies”, Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull., no. Advanced Online Publication, pp. 79–90, June 2026, doi: 10.33714/masteb.1912554.

ISNAD

Bilgin, Okan - Bayraktar, Murat. “A Systematic Review of Seafarers’ Psychological Well-Being and Distress Encompassing Common Disorders, Risk Factors, Critical Periods, and Protective Strategies”. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin. Advanced Online Publication (June 1, 2026): 79-90. https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1912554.

JAMA

1.Bilgin O, Bayraktar M. A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies. Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull. 2026;:79–90.

MLA

Bilgin, Okan, and Murat Bayraktar. “A Systematic Review of Seafarers’ Psychological Well-Being and Distress Encompassing Common Disorders, Risk Factors, Critical Periods, and Protective Strategies”. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin, no. Advanced Online Publication, June 2026, pp. 79-90, doi:10.33714/masteb.1912554.

Vancouver

1.Okan Bilgin, Murat Bayraktar. A systematic review of seafarers’ psychological well-being and distress encompassing common disorders, risk factors, critical periods, and protective strategies. Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull. 2026 Jun. 1;(Advanced Online Publication):79-90. doi:10.33714/masteb.1912554