Textbook of Maritime Medicine

The definition of “maritime medicine” covers a large number of issues, as: the environment of seafaring( effects of microclimate and macroclimate, noise and vibration aboard ship on seafarers, other work related exposures); conditions of work and life on merchant, passenger and fishing ships and on oil rigs; sanitary problems on ships; nutrition and food hygiene aboard ship; pathology of workers employed on ships (diseases, accidents and injuries); toxicology of seafaring; exotic diseases; health problems of navy personnel; personal hygiene of seafarers; vaccinations of ship’s crew members and other preventive interventions as their health education; training of seafarers in providing basic medical services on board ship during voyages; health standards for work at sea and medical examinations of seafarers and radio medical advice for ships.

Also diving and underwater medicine problems are included in this definition. However, this field has separately developed and a number of specialized centers all over the world employ specialists in this area. These care not only for professionals, but also for recreational divers and they treat not only decompression sickness but also other cases of accidents and diseases.

Special training of medical doctors who take care of seafarers may be covered by this definition, and international postgraduate training courses in maritime occupational health for doctors have already been conducted.

Journals on maritime medicine or health have been published in a number of countries. International symposia are devoted to this specialty since the year 1962.

The field of interest of Maritime medicine partly overlaps with occupational medicine, tropical medicine, and travel medicine. The studies of health problems of shipyard workers and dockers may also be included in this chapter of medical science.

Another useful definition might be “maritime occupational health”. This term is widely used. For instance has WHO designated several maritime medicine centres specializing in this field as reference with the name of “”WHO Collaborating Centres on Maritime Occupational Health”

Another definition used by some authors is “nautical medicine”.