A critical systematic review on seafarer health: Conditions, antecedents and interventions

ABSTRACT

Seafarer health is critical for sustainable shipping management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unfavourable working environment has raised both physical and psychological problems to seafarers. Consequently, seafarer health has been receiving increasing attention from academics, the shipping industry and international organizations. The objective of this review is to identify key characteristics of the articles on seafarer health published in the last two decades, summarize key investigated health problems, antecedents and health promotion interventions. This review suggests that cardiovascular diseases, transmittable diseases, fatigue and stress have been the most widely studied health issues. Moreover, seafarer health conditions can be influenced by the (1) natural environment;(2) physical working environment;(3) social environment;(4) personal characteristics;(5) management style;(6) industry-specific characteristics;(7) health crisis. Furthermore, medical care provided by telehealth, effective regulatory and education interventions can contribute to improving seafarer health. This review contributes to the existing literature by consolidating the scattered research on seafarer health. Combining the literature review results and recommendations from international organizations on public health and maritime transport, this study proposes several future research recommendations for academic researchers and policymakers in public health and maritime transport.