TY - JOUR

T1 - Health in fishing communities

T2 - a global perspective

AU - Woodhead, A.J.

AU - Abernethy, K.E.

AU - Szaboova, Lucy

AU - Turner, Rachel A.

PY - 2018/9

Y1 - 2018/9

N2 - In resource-dependent communities such as fishing communities, human health underpins the ability of individuals and families to maintain viable livelihoods. Fishing is a dangerous occupation, in which fishers are exposed to health risks both on and offshore. Many of these risks and associated health concerns also extend to fishing families and wider communities. Despite the importance of health, there is a lack of understanding of the breadth of health issues affecting people associated with fishing. This study presents the findings of a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature that identifies the range of health issues and health determinants studied in fishing communities around the world. The findings reveal a wide variety of documented health issues, but with greater emphasis on physical health and occupational and behavioral factors, with limited attention paid to mental health. The majority of studies focused on fishers themselves, as opposed to other subgroups within fishing communities. Geographic differences in the health topics investigated highlight prevalent concerns and offer potential to share insights and solutions across contexts. The breadth of findings illustrates the complexity of health for people dependent on fishing, and the relevance of the many health determinants in maintaining viable fishing communities. We propose that a social well-being approach offers an integrative lens through which a better understanding of human health in fisheries can be achieved and used to inform fisheries management that is ecologically and socially sustainable. © 2018 The Authors. Fish and Fisheries Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

AB - In resource-dependent communities such as fishing communities, human health underpins the ability of individuals and families to maintain viable livelihoods. Fishing is a dangerous occupation, in which fishers are exposed to health risks both on and offshore. Many of these risks and associated health concerns also extend to fishing families and wider communities. Despite the importance of health, there is a lack of understanding of the breadth of health issues affecting people associated with fishing. This study presents the findings of a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature that identifies the range of health issues and health determinants studied in fishing communities around the world. The findings reveal a wide variety of documented health issues, but with greater emphasis on physical health and occupational and behavioral factors, with limited attention paid to mental health. The majority of studies focused on fishers themselves, as opposed to other subgroups within fishing communities. Geographic differences in the health topics investigated highlight prevalent concerns and offer potential to share insights and solutions across contexts. The breadth of findings illustrates the complexity of health for people dependent on fishing, and the relevance of the many health determinants in maintaining viable fishing communities. We propose that a social well-being approach offers an integrative lens through which a better understanding of human health in fisheries can be achieved and used to inform fisheries management that is ecologically and socially sustainable. © 2018 The Authors. Fish and Fisheries Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

KW - fisheries

KW - fishing communities

KW - health

KW - scoping review

KW - well-being

KW - fishing community

KW - geographical variation

KW - global perspective

KW - health risk

KW - health status

KW - literature review

KW - mental health

KW - public health

M3 - Journal article

VL - 19

SP - 839

EP - 852

JO - Fish and Fisheries

JF - Fish and Fisheries

SN - 1467-2960

IS - 5

ER -