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Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Fatigue | Research article

Fatigue in ferry shipping employees: the role of work-family conflict and supervisor support

Authors: Solveig Boeggild Dohrmann, Kimmo Herttua, Anja Leppin

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Fatigue is a concern in ferry shipping as it has a negative impact on crew members health and plays a major role in marine incidents and accidents. Research within land-based occupational settings has found that work-family conflict is an important risk factor for fatigue and that support from leaders constitutes a possible resource with the potential to buffer a negative impact from work-family conflict. Though, the working conditions of ferry shipping are likely to interfere with employee’s family life those two factors have received little attention in research on seafarers’ health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the direct associations between work-family conflict as well as leaders’ support with fatigue in employees of the Danish ferry shipping industry. Further, the study aimed at testing whether support could buffer potential detrimental associations between work-family conflict and fatigue.

Methods

The study design was cross-sectional, and 193 respondents answered to a self-administered questionnaire. Fatigue was measured with the Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory. Perceived work-family conflict and perceived supervisor support were assessed with two subscales from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. The association of potential risk factors with fatigue was determined using hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses.

Results

After controlling for confounding, work-family conflict was found to be positively associated with four of the five subdimensions of fatigue; lack of energy, physical discomfort, lack of motivation and sleepiness, while more support from supervisors was related to less lack of energy, physical exhaustion and lack of motivation. Further, supervisor support was found to moderate the effect from work-family conflict on the physical subdimensions of fatigue.

Conclusion

Although restricted by its cross-sectional design and a limited sample, this study provides support for the independent relevance of work family conflict and support from nearest superior for employee fatigue in ferry shipping. Further, there was evidence for a moderating role of such support on the negative impact of work-family conflict on the physical aspects of fatigue. Shipping companies may consider commencing initiatives which reduce conflicts between family life and work obligations, and that leader support may be a relevant component in such initiatives.
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Metadata
Title
Fatigue in ferry shipping employees: the role of work-family conflict and supervisor support
Authors
Solveig Boeggild Dohrmann
Kimmo Herttua
Anja Leppin
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Fatigue
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7954-z

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