INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 10, ISSUE 01, JANUARY 2021 ISSN 2277-8616 49 IJSTR©2021 www.ijstr.org Factors Affecting The Stress Level Among The Asian Sea-Farers Mohammed Russtam Suhrab Ismail, Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad, Mohd Hafizi Said, Md. Arif Billah, Tamim Ahmed Abstract: Seafarer's job is mostly long durational, contact base, and tiring in nature that is correlated with their stress. We are exploring the level of stress among the Asian sea-farers with the associated personal and professional factors in the COVID-19 pandemic using an online-based cross- sectional survey (n=95). The 5-Likert scale used in the stress scale and a combination of all the stressors construct the stress score where simple linear regression analysis and Pearson correlation have applied. Most of the sea-farers are young aged (46.3%), married (58.9%), and ranked as deck officer (55.8%). Only 28.4% of seafarers have more than ten years of experience. Stress level among them is comparatively high (μ, SD; 75.13, 16.192) and pertains among 77% seamen. We also found that the age of the seafarers is positively correlated with the sea-going experience and stress score while negatively related to the port call frequency and extension of the contract. We also found a statistically negative correlation of sea-going experiences and extension of the contract. Regression analysis explains stress level 20.1% through the effect of pandemic and sea-farers age at p<0.05. Therefore, more concentration on the sea-farers stress has suggested during critical conditions like pandemics Index Terms: Stress level, Factors, COVID-19, Seafarers, and Asian ——————————  —————————— 1 INTRODUCTION ore than 80% in volume and 70% in value of goods are transported by ships on a worldwide basis with maritime transport being a strong base for global trade and growth [1]. Statistically, 1647500 seafarers worldwide are operating merchant ships abroad, while 46.98% are officers, and the rest of them are ratings (crews and others). In these Asian countries like China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Indian sub-continent contributed most of the seafarer's supply region in all kinds of rankings [2]. Statistics of the United Kingdom Protection and Indemnity Club reports that suicide was the cause of 4.45 of seafarer's death onboard from 2014-2015, and this figure increased to 15.3% for the year 2015-2016 [3]. Latest review [4] suggests an increase in maritime research on depression and suicide, although several previous case series demonstrate that suicide tends to be problematic. Stress is our body's response to any kind of event, situation, threat, or demand. It is part of the standard adaption process to the environment. It consists of behavioural responses for the functional restructuring of the body [4, 5] due to the relationship between people and the environment, which is regarded as important for their well-being [4, 6]. Seafaring is undeniably a tough profession and remains the driving force of shipping for a long time, and the human factor will influence the safety of marine navigation. Seafarers who are separated from their families often live in a small society, monotonous routines, and diverse working conditions, contributing to different forms of stress [7]. Because of the stressful working environment like Schneiderman, Ironson, and Siegel emphasized that they have for a long time been subject to many physical, psychological, social, and environmental stressors [8]. Seafarers are subject to different stressors, including high management responsibilities (time pressure and decisional pressure, undertrained crew), multicultural interactions, sleep loss, physical needs, leisure deprivation, and noise at work, ship movement and vibration [9,10]. Seafarers sign for long-term contracts with the shipping and ship management companies for a certain period on the ship, leaving family, friends and society [6] which resulted in the contribution of psychological stressors. There are poor accommodations and a lack of recreational activities (the issue is much greater when sailors embark on a long journey), and these conditions intensify the feeling of seafarer loneliness and the family's alienation [11]. Besides, a shortage of workers, frequency of port calls in association with an increasing workload, and long working hours is contributing factors of their stress regarding the high work demand. There has been evidence that younger seafarers are more vulnerable to occupational stress than to officer level that is associated with social relations, physical burden of work, lack of self-control, and unsupportive environment [12]. Researchers estimated that the majority of seamen worked every day of the week and in a total of 67 to 70 hours a week over a span of 2.5 to 8.5 months in a questionnaire study by Jensen et al. [13], with a sample of 6461 seamen from eleven countries. The physical and mental health of seafarers is compromised by workplace stress, thereby jeopardizing the vessel, along with its social benefits in LMICs for seafarers and their families [14]. There are often limited onboard contact possibilities (only in the next port of call) and time (during a short port stay), and therefore the communications needs of many seafarers can be insufficiently satisfied [15]. Onboard, additional burdens are often caused by irregular, often long hours of service, particularly on small ships operating on a coastal run and with a high frequency of port call [16]. Differing from land-based working conditions are additionally burdensome to seafarers because of the constant physical stress of noise, vibration, and movements of ships for 24 hours (during free time and working hours) and for nine months in a row [17]. On the contrary, several ships do not have the requisite provisions, leisure facilities and support systems for mental health that increase the risk of onboard psychological breakdown. The confined setting of a ship presents particular opportunities to provide support programmes for seafarers to help them to reduce M ————————————————  Dr. Capt. Mohammed Russtam Suhrab Ismail is a senior lecturer in the University Malaysia Terengganu. His research relies on the safety of navigation and Maritime Education and Training Email: m.ismail@umt.edu.my  Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad is a senior lecturer in the University Malaysia Terengganu. His research relies on the protection of maritime operations and maritime waterways. Email: afaf@umt.edu.my  Mohd Hafizi Said is a lecturer in the University Malaysia Terengganu. His research relies on marine risk assessment. Email: hafizi@umt.edu.my  Md. Arif Billah is currently pursuing masters program in Department of Social Work and Counselling in the University of Malaysia Terengganu, Email: arifbillah.pshrd2018@gmail.com  Tamim Ahmed is currently pursuing a master degree program in Nautical Science and Maritime Transportation in the University of Malaysia Terengganu, Email: capt.tamim73@gmail.com