Relations Between Daily Events, Coping Strategies and Health During a British Army Ski Expedition Across Antarctica

Expedition teams operating in Polar environments are exposed to a range of environmental, psychological, and social challenges. How a person responds to these demands has implications for their physical and psychological health. In this study, we examined relations between the daily events encountered, coping strategies used, and markers of physical and psychological health in a team of six British Army soldiers (one serving and five reservists) completing a 68-day ski-traverse of the Antarctic continent. In general, daily reports indicated a largely adaptive response to the expedition. There were fluctuations in the events encountered, coping strategies used, and experiences of physical and psychological health throughout the endeavor. Reported daily events and coping strategies explained variability in the positive and negative fluctuations of physical and psychological health. Findings from this study can inform health decision-making of groups operating in Polar environments and others living and working under similar constraints.

Automated summary

Expedition teams in Polar environments face various challenges that can impact their physical and psychological health. The study of a British Army team in Antarctica found that daily events and coping strategies influenced fluctuations in the team members' health throughout the 68-day ski-traverse.