Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the Aviation Industry
According to safety experts, at least 70% of aviation accidents are caused by pilots. They argue that the accidents occur due to poor cognitive performance by pilots, distractions, and inaccuracy in aeronautical decision-making (ADM) (Mapou, 2019).
A pilot with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a high likelihood of causing an accident due to distractions or poor ADM because the condition affects his skills negatively.
ADHD is a disorder that portrays signs of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Inattention is demonstrated when a pilot is easily distracted and loses focus easily, while hyperactivity is excessive restlessness or motor activity.
Impulsivity is manifested when a pilot makes hasty actions without necessarily considering the harm the actions may cause.
These symptoms significantly affect pilots’ cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning; hence, they may not be able to make the correct decisions during flights.
This disorder occurs in about 5% of children and continues into adulthood, having effects on approximately 2.5% of adults (Mapou, 2019).
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Regulatory authorities worldwide view ADHD as a condition that would easily cause flight accidents hence disqualifying pilots with the disease.
Aviation accidents linked to ADHD documented that pilots with this disorder fail to prepare adequately before setting for the flight, such as confirming weather conditions.
In some cases, pilots with ADHD continue with the flight even when it was not advised due to situations like deteriorating weather conditions.
They are also likely to get distracted easily and make errors such as failing to maintain airspeed (Mapou, 2019). These risks may lead to fatal accidents happening.
Hence, regulatory authorities worldwide disqualify all pilots that have ADHD conditions. Unfortunately, some pilots with this disorder fail to reveal it to their Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) to avoid being disqualified.
FAA will know that a pilot had the condition after the occurrence of a fatal accident from the toxicology results, which will show the presence of medication that treat ADHD.
However, treatments for ADHD disorder can cause serious side effects that can impair the realization of exhaustion and hence are not sanctioned for flying.
Proper diagnosis of ADHD consumes a lot of time, and the process is complex.
This may result in some medical experts assigning diagnoses or prescribing medications to pilots without complete proof that they have the disorder.
Since the diagnosis is a time-consuming process, medical experts fail to approve the disease’s existence under time pressure adequately.
They may end up treating some pilots who have the condition and who do not. FAA requires an approved psychologist to assess the presence of the adverse effects of ADHD.
If the ADHD is present, FAA will then deny the pilot’s application or grant him a Special Issuance medical certificate (SI) (Sarfati et al., 2019).
Further evaluation may be required if a pilot is given a SI that is time-limited. FAA has further provided an evidence-based risk evaluation protocol to protect the pilot and reduce the occurrence of fatal accidents attributed to ADHD.
Results from research carried out to determine fatal accidents in aviation in the U.S. between 2000 and 2015 showed four different accidents linked to ADHD (Laukkala et al., 2017).
Two pilots were diagnosed with ADHD by a medical expert or a family doctor.
In one case, a family member confirmed that the pilot had the disorder, while in the other case, the flight instructor claimed that the pilot had shared his medical information with her about the ADHD treatment.
Three pilots had not shared all their medical information with AME, while one pilot was a student with unknown medical history.
Reports showed that one of the deceased pilots was involved in multiple car accidents resulting from overspeeding and violation of traffic signs. This proved that the pilot had ADHD.
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References
Laukkala, T., Bor, R., Budowle, B., & Sajantila, A. (2017). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Fatal Accidents in Aviation Medicine. Retrived from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319173987_Attention-DeficitHyperactivity_Disorder_and_Fatal_Accidents_in_Aviation_Medicine
Mapou, R. L. (2019). Counterpoint: Neuropsychological testing is not useful in the diagnosis of ADHD, but…. The ADHD Report, 27(2), 8-12.
Sarfati, S., Nakdimon, I., Tsodyks, J., Assa, A., & Gordon, B. (2019). Success rates at an Air Force pilot academy and its relation to methylphenidate use. Aerospace medicine and human performance, 90(9), 788-791.