A report published by the journal Environmental Health Wednesday revealed that the airplane pilots who suffered from depression were reluctant to seek help or were afraid of losing their jobs.
The origin of this research: the fatal theft of german wings 4U 9525 which crashed in the French Alps killing 150 people on March 24, 2015. Investigators examining the accident concluded that the 27-year-old co-pilot had a history of clinical depression.
Women more prone to depression than men
Researchers polled 3,485 pilots through a web-based survey between April and December 2015. Results: All 436 pilots who responded reached the depression threshold and 75 participants had suicidal thoughts in the past two weeks . Some methods used to recruit participants included emails, newsletters, postcards, and distributing a note to pilots. The investigation revealed a depression based on participants’ responses to the questionnaire.
Female pilots made up 4% of the sample. The study found that females experienced poor mental health and depression more frequently than their male counterparts.
Hundreds of pilots would have depressive symptoms
The report suggests that hundreds of pilots currently flying planes have depressive symptoms and may not have had treatment. However, the results should not deter passengers to fly or to doubt the ability of the pilots to do their job.
An estimated 140,000 pilots are flying overseas with around 70,000 in the United States, the report said.
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