Factors Contributing to Heightened Anxiety in Airline Pilots During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

  • Madeleine Hontz Singapore American School
  • Jennifer Osborne Student Advisor

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i3.4729

Keywords:

COVID-19, Anxiety, Pilot, Aviation, Mental Health

Abstract

This study analyzed the specific effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of airline pilots. Using an exploratory research methodology, the researcher sent a self-designed questionnaire to seventeen (17) currently registered pilots that flew before, during, and after the pandemic. The intent of the survey was to measure anxiety levels and explore causes of anxiety. The results showed that there were three (3) common causes of post-pandemic anxiety: lack of job security, decreased social interactions, and lack of control. This study analyzed mental health, which is less commonly talked about within the aviation industry. Future research should continue to explore the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on airline pilots, and how to manage a comparable situation again in the future.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References or Bibliography

Alcohol and Mental Health. Drinkaware. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-and-mental-health

Alfaifi, A., Darraj, A., & El-Setouhy, M. (2022, May 17). The psychological impact of quarantine during the COVID-19: PRBM. Psychology Research and Behavior Management. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.dovepress.com/the-psychological-impact-of-quarantine-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PRBM

Ashley Barajas, S. W. (2022, May 18). Why pilots don't want to talk about mental health-and why they should. FLYING Magazine. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.flyingmag.com/why-pilots-dont-want-to-talk-about-mental-health-and-why-they-should/

Bouwer, J., Krishnan, V., Saxon, S., & Tufft, C. (2022, April 1). Taking stock of the pandemic's impact on Global Aviation. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel-logistics-and-infrastructure/our-insights/taking-stock-of-the-pandemics-impact-on-global-aviation#:~:text=While%20the%20full%20data%20from,what%20they%20were%20in%202019.

Carroll, R. (2021, June 2). Warning over pilots' mental health as planes return to skies; Researchers say industry practice should change to encourage workers to seek help when they need it Coronavirus -- latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jun/02/pilots-mental-health-planes-covid-airlines

Gibbs. (2012). Grounded Theory - Core Elements. Part 1. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/4SZDTp3_New

Group, A. S., Charpentreau, C., Lim, J. C., Beresnevicius, R. (2021, October 6). What has life been like for cargo pilots during the pandemic? AeroTime. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/29035-cargo-pilots-pandemic-experience

Insight: Feeling the effects of quarantine. Flight Safety Foundation. (2022, July 6). Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://flightsafety.org/asw-article/insight-feeling-the-effects-of-quarantine/

NHS. (n.d.). NHS choices. Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/overview/#:~:text=Anxiety%20is%20a%20feeling%20of,medical%20test%20or%20job%20interview.

O’Hagan, A. D., Issartel, J., & Warrington, G. (2016). Flying Into Depression: Pilot’s Sleep and Fatigue Experiences Can Explain Differences in Perceived Depression and Anxiety Associated With Duty Hours. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2165079916659506

Penninx, B. W. J. H., Benros, M. E., Klein, R. S., & Vinkers, C. H. (2022, October 3). How COVID-19 shaped mental health: From infection to pandemic effects. Nature News. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02028-2

Saeed, H., Eslami, A., Nassif, N. T., Simpson, A. M., & Lal, S. (2022, February 15). Anxiety linked to covid-19: A systematic review comparing anxiety rates in different populations. International journal of environmental research and public health. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8871867/#:~:text=A%20total%20of%203537%20studies,%2C%20and%20police%20(8.79%25).

Stadler, K. (2022). The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Pilot Mental Health and Wellbeing – Quarantine Experiences. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352146522007372?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=7995ed942c95494f

Staff, S. F. (2022, February 13). 33% of pilots are still grounded due to covid-19. Simple Flying. Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://simpleflying.com/33-pilots-grounded-covid/

Stress and stress management (OGHFA bn). SKYbrary Aviation Safety. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://skybrary.aero/articles/stress-and-stress-management-oghfa-bn

Socialization and altruistic acts as stress relief. MentalHelp.net. (2019, March 27). Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.mentalhelp.net/stress/socialization-and-altruistic-acts-as-stress-relief/#:~:text=Socialization%20also%20directly%20impacts%20our,outward%20(rather%20than%20inward).

The Psychology of Uncertainty: Advice for pilots facing job insecurity ... (n.d.). https://www.aviationbusinessme.com/covid-19-updates/21744-the-psychology-of-uncertainty-advice-for-pilots-facing-job-insecurity

Vintila, M., Tudorel, O. I., Stefanut, A., Ivanoff, A., & Bucur, V. (2022, January 10). Emotional distress and coping strategies in COVID-19 anxiety - current psychology. SpringerLink. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-021-02690-8

World Health Organization. (n.d.). The impact of covid-19 on mental health cannot be made light of. World Health Organization. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-mental-health-cannot-be-made-light-of

Published

08-31-2023

How to Cite

Hontz, M., & Osborne, J. (2023). Factors Contributing to Heightened Anxiety in Airline Pilots During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Student Research, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i3.4729

Issue

Section

HS Research Articles