From Farrol Kaiin, Aviation Health Institute
Oxford
Times have moved on since the 1988 edition of Aviation Medicine
which the professor read for his amusing piece, “The naked aviator” (27 July, p
43). Not only has there been a 1993 edition of the book, but the Aviation Health
Institute has also been established.
It is a medical research charity that promotes health and wellbeing of
passengers worldwide. Its main objectives include the investigation of the
effects of flying on health and on the course of common diseases, preventing ill
effects and increasing awareness.
Medical problems on aircraft occur infrequently, at a rate of about 1 in 10
000 passengers, but there are signs that in-flight incidents will increase
significantly over the next five years as the average passenger is getting older
and travelling greater distances.
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The lack of communication between airlines and medical bodies results in lax
screening processes, particularly for passengers with illnesses. These can be
exacerbated in-flight, and in some cases a passenger’s condition can be tipped
into a critical state after the flight. Consequently, the travel insurance
industry pays out £50 million in health claims each year for problems
arising at destinations.
In a survey by the Association of British Insurers, the claim rate was found
to be 1 in 48 passengers who had taken out health insurance.
We have also come across two interesting cases of passengers who have lost
their driving licences as a result of blackouts while flying. In both cases,
they awoke from sleep on board only to collapse unconscious soon afterwards. The
incidents were related to their doctors, who informed the Driver and Vehicle
Licence Agency. The agency apparently does not recognise the fact that while
driving is carried out at sea level, air travel is conducted on average at a
maximum cabin altitude of 8000 metres. This results in an oxygen deficiency of
25 per cent by pressure which could have triggered off their syncope
episodes.
