A review of the physiological and psychological health and wellbeing of naval service personnel and the modalities used for monitoring

Mil Med Res. 2017 Jan 18:4:1. doi: 10.1186/s40779-016-0112-3. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Naval cohorts rely heavily on personnel to ensure the efficient running of naval organisations. As such, the wellbeing of personnel is essential. In an occupational setting, naval service personnel experience a variety of physiological and psychological stressors. Most naval services arrange annual physical fitness and body composition tests to ensure the physical readiness of personnel. However, these tests only evaluate a small amount of physiological capabilities. Components such as aerobic and strength capabilities are assessed, however, other components of physical fitness such as speed, agility, anaerobic capacity and flexibility are not. In addition to the physical capabilities, personnel are impacted by fatigue, nutrition and psychological stressors such as copping in stressful situations or dealing with time away from family and friends. This review will discuss the physiological and psychological factors that affect personnel's wellbeing. In addition to this, it will also evaluate the methods that are used to assess both physiological and psychological wellbeing.

Keywords: Fatigue; Military; Navy; Nutrition; Psychological-physical fitness; Seafarer; Substance abuse.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Body Mass Index
  • Exercise Test / methods
  • Humans
  • Mental Health Services / trends*
  • Military Personnel / psychology*
  • Military Personnel / statistics & numerical data
  • Naval Medicine / methods*
  • Naval Medicine / trends
  • Physical Fitness / psychology*