Mental health, coping mechanism, social support, and the resilience of commercial pilots in Thailand during the period of COVID-19 situation

Abstract

Background: The daily life of the commercial pilots in Thailand has greatly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. These unpredictable situations impacted everyone directly and indirectly, especially, the commercial pilot’s mental health.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate mental health, coping mechanisms, social support, resilience, and the related factors among commercial pilots during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data were collected from 380 commercial pilots, including Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X, between May to September 2022. Questionnaires were applied to collect data from samples including: 1) demographic data; 2) work information; 3) negative effects of COVID-19 among commercial pilots; 4) coping strategy; 5) social support; 6) resilience and 7) mental health.

Results: In all, 202 of the sample had abnormal mental health during the COVID-19 epidemic. Related factors to abnormal mental health that significantly less than 0.01 were lower income after the COVID-19 epidemic, having in debt, having psychiatric disorders, working for Thai AirAsia X, Overall effect from COVID-19 epidemic, e.g., effect on family, relationships, routine activities, work and career, finance and economy, and health, medium to high levels of emotionally focused coping, low level of social support on resource and material, low levels of resilience, e.g., withstand pressure, hope and encouragement, overcome obstacles, and overall of resilience. Single/divorced/widowed and low levels of overall social support were significant as P < 0.05. The significant predictors of abnormal mental health were having debt, working for Thai AirAsia X, being affected by routine activities, medium to high levels of emotionally focused coping, low level of social support on resources and material, low levels of resilience on withstand pressure, and hope and encouragement.

Conclusion: In all, 53.2% of the commercial pilots from a recent study had abnormal mental health during the COVID-19 epidemic. The predictor and factors that related to their abnormal mental health were having in debt, working for Thai AirAsia X, medium to a high level of affected by routine activity, medium to a high level of emotionally focused coping, low level of social support on resource and material, low level of resilience on withstand pressure, and hope and encouragement.