| Research questions | Project objectives | Project metodology |
| 5.1 What is the prevalence of self-rated: * Mental health risk factors (also mobbing and harashment in the schools) * Mental health symptom indicators? | 5.1 To study the prevalence of the risk factors and the mental illness indicators. | 5.1 to 5.3 will use epidemiological cross-sectional studies among different study populations in different countries. The studies will use validated standardized questionnaires. The study populations include: the maritime students, the seafarers, employees in the shipping companies, the maritime authorities, the maritime medical doctors, the Radio Medical doctors, the maritime school teachers and all other important partner groups. Students in 30 maritime schools in 10–15 countries will complete surveys before and after their sailing periods. Frequency and regression analysis will be used. |
| 5.2 Are there any sub-sets of the population with a particularly high prevalence of selfrated risks for mental health problems? | 5.2 To study the relationship between the mental health indicators and the workplace and living-conditions related mental health risk factors, the self-rated mental health, work ability and reasons for job-turn over. | |
| 5.3 Which are the strongest relationships between the mental health risk factors related to work and living conditions and the mental health illness indicators? | 5.3 To identify the statistical relationship between the mental health indicators and the workplace and living-conditions related mental health risk factors | |
| 5.4 Knowledge, skills and needs for training How are the different employees in shipping trained and what is their knowledge and attitude about: * Early signs of social isolation, stress and mental health problems among colleagues. * The multiple causes of mental health problems * How to assist colleagues with social isolation, stress and mental health problems in acute situations * For which issues on which they need more training | 5.4 To determine the actual knowledge, skills and the personal perceived training needs in mental health for maritime students, the maritime doctors, and seafarers, so that relevant continuing medical education can be developed. | 5.4: Surveys on knowledge, quality of life and attitude profiles and the perceived training needs. The gapanalysis show potential areas for in-depth guidance of the training programs. |
| 5.5 Which are the specific mental health risk factors that prompt seafarers to leave the job early? | 5.5 To identify the main causes for leaving seafaring jobs. | 5.5 will be addressed via description and regression analysis of the cross-sectional and the cohort studies. |