Health Experience in the past week .....................................................................

We asked the flight attendants about specific health conditions over the previous week to index active or current problems. We gauged the severity by eliciting information about frequency or duration. For example, for each symptom, the flight attendant could respond according to the number of days that he/she experienced the condition in the last week.

In the table below, we note the most frequent conditions (i.e. “Often” or  “Everyday”) in red. These conditions were cited by at least 20% of the flight attendants.

The conditions highlighted in blue designate slightly less common conditions in comparison reported by at least 10% of flight attendants.

The more notable conditions in order of most prevalent among flight attendants include:

  • sleep problems (35%)
  • all types of musculoskeletal pain (between 23-28%)
  • sinus congestion (28%)
  • fatigue (26%)
  • anxiety/stress (20%)
  • bloating (20%)

Considering all frequent conditions together, the most prevalent conditions fall into several main categories according to body system affected (listed in no particular order): 1) respiratory (sinus, ear, cough)
2) neurological/psychological (dizziness, loss of coordination/balance, muscle weakness, fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression)
3) musculoskeletal (general aches and back/shoulder/elbow/wrist/hand/feet pain)
4) eye problems
5) other general problems (bloating)


Percentage of flight attendants reporting condition in past week
(at time of survey)

 

CONDITION

In the past week, how many days did you experience the symptom?

Never
(0 days)

Rarely
(1-2 days)

Some-times
(3-4days)

Often
(5-6 days)

Every-day
(7days)

# of Flight Attendants
responded

Eye irritation, pain

43.3%

27%

18.8%

7.3%

3.5%

3,707

Blurred /altered vision

57.2%

21.6%

13.7%

5.1%

2.4%

3,623

Sinus congestion

26.5%

20.5%

24%

18.1%

10.9%

3,789

Ear pain/blockage

46.3%

25.6%

18%

7.5%

2.4%

3,705

Nosebleeds/irritation

72%

15.7%

7.3%

3.7%

1.3%

3,666

Sore throat/irritated/burn

55.2%

24.1%

13.7%

5%

2%

3,696

Cough

48%

25%

16.2%

6.2%

4.6%

3,743

Hoarseness/loss voice

66.2%

18.6%

10.1%

3.5%

1.6%

3,704

Shortness of breath

66.3%

19.0%

9.8%

3.5%

1.5%

3,721

Chest tightness

76.2%

14.2%

7.1%

1.8%

.6%

3,694

Chest pain

84.7%

10.4%

3.8%

,8%

.2%

3,671

Heart racing/pounding

67.7%

19.8%

9%

2.7%

.7%

3,706

Stomach pain

62.1%

21.5%

11.7%

3.4%

1.4%

3,715

Nausea

67.2%

21.7%

8.2%

2.3%

.5%

3,703

Vomiting

91.3%

7.2%

1.3%

.1%

.08%

3,684

Diarrhea

64.7%

21.7%

9.8%

3.0%

.8%

3,703

Bloating

30.4%

21.0%

23.4%

17.2%

8%

3,750

Fainting

95.5%

3.1%

1.1%

.3%

.05%

3,670

Dizziness

62.4%

25.3%

8.5%

3.1%

.7%

3,708

Coordination/balance loss

66.0%

22.6%

8.2%

2.5%

.8%

3,702

Shaking/tremors

87.9%

7.8%

2.8%

.8%

.6%

3,650

Numbness/tingling-
      face,extremities

 

68.8%

 

16.5%

 

8.2%

 

3.5%

 

3%

3,714

Severe headache

57.9%

23.9%

11.6%

5.5%

1%

3,729

Confusion, difficulty
   Thinking/finding words

 

56.3%

 

22.5%

 

13.2%

 

5.4%

 

2.5%

 

3,737

Difficulty concentrating

45.3%

30.5%

15%

6.8%

2.5%

3,746

Fatigue/unusual tiredness

20.4%

27.3%

25%

17.5%

9.9%

3,817

Anxiety or stress

30.4%

29%

20.7%

13%

7%

3,778

Depressed mood

46.2%

27.2%

15.1%

7.8%

3.8%

3,751

Apathy

58.4%

21.8%

12.1%

5.2%

2.5%

3,662

Irritability

31.0%

36.1%

20%

9%

3.8%

3,696

Sleep disturbances
  Inability to stay awake or
  Go to sleep

 

16.9%

 

23.1%

 

25%

 

20%

 

15%

 

3,827

Alterations in taste/smell

81%

11.2%

5%

1.8%

1.1%

3,706

Chemical sensitivity

77.8%

10.4%

6.0%

3%

2.7%

3,684

Calf pain

64.2%

17%

11%

4.6%

3.1%

3,687

Back pain

26.4%

23.2%

22.7%

15.6%

12.1%

3,787

Foot pain

28.4%

22.5%

20.6%

15.2%

13.3%

3,775

Shoulder/elbow/
   wrist/hand pain

 

31%

 

19.7%

 

19.8%

 

15.3%

 

14.1%

 

3,792

Generalized muscle aches

30.1%

24.9%

21.7%

12.3%

11%

3,775

Muscle weakness

54.7%

20.8%

12%

6.3%

6%

3,721


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