Occupational Health Risks in Airline Crew

Airline crew operate under a constellation of occupational hazards arising from the unique aviation environment. Exposure to reduced atmospheric pressure at altitude can result in barotrauma and promote vascular changes, while elevated levels of cosmic ionizing radiation accumulate over time and have been linked to increased incidence of reproductive and cutaneous malignancies. The demands of long-haul schedules disrupt circadian rhythms, contributing to sleep disorders, fatigue and psychological stress. In-flight noise and vibration may exacerbate musculoskeletal and auditory damage, and cabin air quality issues can heighten respiratory and immunological risks. Epidemiological surveys reveal that aircrew report higher rates of chronic bronchitis, sleep disorders, depression and specific cancers compared with the general population, often with a positive association between disease prevalence and tenure. These global findings underscore the need for improved exposure monitoring, fatigue management, radiation dose mitigation and mental health support to safeguard this workforce and maintain aviation safety.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Occupational Health Risks in Airline Crew publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in occupational health risks in airline crew across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hypobaric pressure: Reduced ambient pressure at high altitude that can induce ear and sinus barotrauma and influence vascular physiology.

Cosmic ionizing radiation: High-energy particles of solar and galactic origin penetrating aircraft altitudes that can damage DNA and increase cancer risk.

Melanoma Inhibitory Activity protein: A secreted protein marker produced by melanoma cells, whose elevated serum levels may indicate UV-related skin cancer progression.

References

1. Aircrew Health: A Systematic Review of Physical Agents as Occupational Risk Factors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
2. Estimating the health consequences of flight attendant work: comparing flight attendant health to the general population in a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health (2018).
3. Cancer risks from cosmic radiation exposure in flight: A review. Frontiers in Public Health (2022).
4. Increased Peripheral Blood DNA Damage and Elevated Serum Levels of Melanoma Inhibitory Activity Protein: Clues to Excess Skin Cancer Risk in Airline Pilots?. Cureus (2023).