Aviation medicine safeguards flight safety by addressing three critical areas: managing physiological challenges of the aviation environment, preventing in-flight medical incapacitation and ensuring psychological fitness for flight. The field adopts occupational medicine's hierarchy of risk control to mitigate physiological risks in the operating environment, while employing systematic medical screening with tailored standards based on operational requirements to reduce the likelihood of in-flight incapacitation. A comprehensive approach incorporating mental health education, support systems and regular monitoring helps prevent psychological incapacitation. Recent data from the Singapore Changi Aeromedical Centre reveal that ophthalmological, otolaryngological and respiratory conditions are the primary causes of medical disqualification during air force pilot screening, reflecting the unique physiological demands of military aviation. This review emphasises the ongoing challenge of balancing rigorous medical standards with maintaining an adequate pilot recruitment pool, while highlighting the need for evidence-based approaches to aeromedical assessment and certification.
Humans ; Aerospace Medicine/methods* ; Singapore ; Aviation ; Pilots ; Accidents, Aviation/prevention & control* ; Occupational Health ; Safety ; Occupational Medicine ; Military Personnel

Objective: To study the stressors and mental status of civil aviation pilots under the background of major infectious disease. Methods: From January to March 2021, a cluster sampling method was used to select 143 airline pilots in service as the research objects. The self-made emotion and stress source questionnaire, Chinese version of stress perception scale (CPSS) , self rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and self rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to investigate the airline pilot population. 136 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective recovery rate of 95.1%. The measurement data conform to the normal distribution and are expressed by (x±s) . T-test and analysis of variance are used for comparison between groups, and Pearson correlation is used for correlation analysis. The data that do not conform to the normal distribution are expressed by the median and quartile [M (Q(1), Q(3)) ], and the non parametric test is used for the comparison between groups. Multiple linear stepwise regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of pressure perception. In addition, Amos 23.0 software was used to construct structural equation models of stress perception and negative emotions. Results: Under the background of the epidemic, the main sources of stress for civil aviation pilots are: the risk of possible reduction in income, the risk of contracting COVID-19, the pressure at work, and the risk of possible slow progress of upgrading. Among them, the first co pilot was more worried about the possible reduction of income than the instructor (P=0.009) ; The first co pilot and the captain of the airline were more worried about the possible slowdown of the upgrade progress than the instructor (P<0.001, P=0.014) . The mean pressure perception of pilots was higher than that of Chinese norm (t=3.11, P=0.002) . The standard scores of anxiety and depression were slightly higher than the standard scores of the Chinese norm under the non epidemic situation (t=7.00, 4.07, all P<0.001) . The results of multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that stress perception was negatively correlated with good family relations (t=-8.50, P=0.000) , and positively correlated with worries about slow progress of upgrading, COVID-19 infection, lack of interpersonal communication and income reduction (t=3.31、3.86、2.88、2.06, P<0.05) . Pressure perception was positively correlated with negative emotion (all P<0.001) . The results of structural equation model show that stress perception affects pilots' negative emotions directly or indirectly, and its standardized total effects on anxiety, depression, hypochondriac, fear, compulsion and irritability are 0.719, 0.811, 0.403, 0.355, 0.295 and 0.244 respectively. Conclusion: Public health emergencies have an impact on the mental status of pilots. Should pay attention to the stressors and psychological conditions of pilots in time, and consider formulating measures to relieve the stress of pilots.
Anxiety/epidemiology* ; Aviation ; COVID-19 ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Pilots/psychology*

The study aimed to determine the perceptions of three groups of raters comprising of supervisors, couples of reproductive ages/clients/patients, and alumnae on the return service obligation [RSO] rendered by graduates from Region 08 in the University of the Philippines Manila-School of Health Sciences [UPM-SHS], Main Campus, Leyte. A descriptive analytical design utilizing six sets of pilot-tested questionnaires with Five- Point Likert Scale was employed. The respondents were chosen through a pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria; while the raters were selected using the distribution free, non probability purposive sampling [Downie and Heath, 1984; Talbot, 1995; Gay, 2003]. Kruskall-Wallis Analysis of Variance [Gay, 2003] revealed that among the RMs, significant difference in Community Organization and Community Development [COCD] [KW-computed value=6.709 with p-value= 0.035] and Manager of Barangay Health Station [KW-computed value=10.478 with p value=0.005] at 0.05 level of significance; rejecting therefore the null hypothesis of no significant difference on the two functional areas. Among the RM-RNs, two of six indicators showed to be significant at 0.05 level of significance, that is, COCD [KW-computed value=8.573 obtained p-value=0.014]; and Manager and Supervisor [KW-computed value=6.804 with obtained p-value=0.033]; rejecting the null hypothesis of no significant difference. The results were descriptive of the respondents and a validation study is highly recommended using a larger population to achieve generalizability.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Pilots ; Philippines ; Employment ; Surveys And Questionnaires ; Family Characteristics ; Schools ; Social Planning ; Analysis Of Variance ; Sexual Minorities