Introduction:
High-speed boat operators constitute a population at risk of work-related injuries and disabilities. This review aimed to
summarize the available knowledge on workplace-related injuries and chronic musculoskeletal pain among high-speed
boat operators.
Materials and Methods:
In this systematic review, we searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library Database for studies, published
AQ9 from 1980 to 2022, on occupational health and hazards onboard high-speed boats. Studies and reports were eligible
for inclusion if they evaluated, compared, used, or described harms associated with impact exposure onboard high-speed
boats. Studies on recreational injuries and operators of unplanned boats were excluded. The primary outcome of interest
was the incidence of acute injuries. The secondary outcome measures comprised the presence of chronic musculoskeletal
disorders, pain medication use, and days off work.
Results:
Of the 163 search results, 5 (2 prospective longitudinal and 3 cross-sectional cohort studies) were included in this systematic
review. A total of 804 cases with 3,312 injuries sustained during 3,467 person-years onboard high-speed boats
were included in the synthesis of the results. The pooled incidence rate was 1.0 per person-year. The most common
injuries were related to the lower back (26%), followed by neck (16%) and head (12%) injuries. The pooled prevalence
of chronic pain was 74% (95% CI: 73–75%) and 60% (95% CI: 59–62%) of the cohort consumed analgesics.
Conclusions:
Despite very limited data, this review found evidence that high-speed boat operators have a higher rate of injuries and a
higher prevalence of chronic pain than other naval service operators and the general workforce. Given the low certainty
of these findings, further prospective research is required to verify the injury incidence and chronic pain prevalence
among high-speed boat operators.
Review registration:
PROSPERO: CRD42022358927