Psychological Impact of Air Travel
Ting, Joseph Y. (2004) Psychological Impact of Air Travel . Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2(2).
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Abstract
Whilst the article by Nicholson AN [1] comprehensively reviews medical and environmental stresses associated with commercial flight, recent widespread increase in press coverage and community perceptions regarding compromised flight safety and security require emphasis. Adverse psychological sequelae resulting from terrorist threat to passenger aircraft leads to avoidance of commercial flights [2] as well as stress and anxiety in flight [3]. There is now community-wide anxiety about flight security in view of recent terrorist attacks such as commercial jets being flown into The Twin Towers in New York City on September 11th 2001 [2] and more recent security fears on trans-Atlantic flights [4]. Psychological stresses associated with increased pre-departure security checks and flights delayed or cancelled by security concerns have increased since September 11th [3]. Libyan involvement in the 1988 mid-air bomb explosion of a Pan-Am flight over Lockerbie was widely speculated at the time and further highlighted in 2001 [5]. Air-rage (passengers being verbally or physically aggressive or disruptive during flight) related to substance and alcohol use/refusal is increasing, poses physical and psychological risks to others on the plane and occasionally requires costly and inconvenient diversion of the flight [6]. Passengers with flight anxiety who already have fears out of proportion to the excellent safety of commercial flight pre-September 11th [7] will now have to contend with random unpredictable acts of violence and terrorism.
Fear of flying possesses significant public health implications [7], affecting 10-40% of adult passengers [8] and up to 9.2% of crew staff [9]. In extreme cases it leads to severe anxiety reactions including panic attacks in-flight [3]. On the ground, avoiding flights exposes individuals to risks associated with using alternative transport [7].
| EPrint Type: | Journal (On-line/Unpaginated) |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | air travel; fear of flying; terrorism; anxiety; air safety; flight safety |
| Subjects: | 210000 Science - General 320000 Medical and Health Sciences 320000 Medical and Health Sciences: 320100 Medicine - General |
| ID Code: | 1201 |
| Deposited By: | Ting, Joseph Y. |
| Deposited On: | 01 July 2004 |