Information for Interest | Pilot Advisory Notes | Restricted Access
Impact on Wives and Families | Work and Sleep Patterns | Implications for Fatigue Management
The impact of Great Barrier Reef Pilotage work on wives and families
Results and Discussion
10.0 Summary of Results
Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this survey of the wives/partners of Great Barrier Reef pilots. The survey questionnaire covered 17 topics and comprised 100 items. The main issues examined were: demographics; industry specific questions; the home and away nature of pilotage work; marital satisfaction; social support, general health and fitness and psychological well-being.
The majority of women participating in the present study were married, well educated and approximately 70% were employed. Approximately 23% had at least one child aged 18 years or less. On the basis of the qualitative data it was evident that for many of these women, participation in the paid workforce was directly related to the deregulation of the marine pilotage industry and the resultant reductions in income and financial stability.
The physical risks and fatigue associated with piloting work were of concern to the majority of women. Qualitative data indicated that the wives/partners of pilots believed that much of the stress that pilots were under was attributable to the deregulation of their industry and competition between the pilotage groups.
Financial issues related to changes in income structure and regularity of income were of central concern to these women, as were concerns about the security of pilotage work. These anxieties were also evident in the qualitative data where comments focused on the increasing costs pilots are forced to bear, as well as delays in payment for work completed. Financial concerns were linked to increased levels of stress within some families. Extended periods ashore, although perceived as beneficial by some respondents, also led to stress, particularly in relation to financial stability.
A number of women commented on the previous prestige associated with piloting and made the point that the lowering of qualifications for pilots, deregulation and a drop in income had led to a loss of prestige for the profession. Some believed that lower qualifications for pilots increased the already significant risks associated with the profession and the environment.
The home and away nature of pilotage work was linked to the experience of stress by the majority of participants, at least some of the time. Wives/partners tended to cope with stress through altered eating patterns, rather than by increased levels of smoking, drinking or the use of social drugs. However, during periods of stress women tend to respond by becoming anxious or depressed (Najman 1995). From the two measures of psychological well-being used in this study approximately 14% of the sample were anxious at the time of the study and 9% could be considered depressed. When appraised in the context of available normative data, this level of depression was quite high.
A number of sources of social support were assessed in the present study. These were marital satisfaction, structural support, tangible support, affectionate support, positive social interaction and emotional and informational support. Stressful interpersonal relationships can impede personal well-being. The majority of participants expressed satisfaction with their marital relationship, however, at least 9% of the sample expressed considerable dissatisfaction with their relationship.
Respondents expressed the least concern about affectionate support. A substantial minority of respondents expressed concern about levels of support on the other three measures: tangible support, positive social interaction, and emotional or informational support. This result may indicate that these women do not require as much affectionate support as support in other areas. From the qualitative data it appears that those women who live close to their families report a higher level of support than do those women who have moved away from their families because of their partner’s work. This lack of support may be exacerbated by having young children.