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The Importance of Health Literacy and Strategies for Its Promotion Among Seafarers: A Scoping Review
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Mojtaba Fattahi Ardakani   , Somayeh Khezerloo , Morad Ali Zareipuor * |
| Department of Public Health, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran , z.morad@yahoo.com |
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Abstract: (116 Views) |
Background and Aim: Due to the unique working and living conditions at sea, seafarers face numerous health and safety challenges. Health literacy -defined as the ability to understand and utilize health information- plays a vital role in improving their quality of life and mitigating health risks. This study aimed to examine the importance of health literacy and strategies for its promotion among seafarers.
Methods: This scoping review was conducted by searching reputable English and Persian scientific databases, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, ISI, PubMed, Google Scholar, SID, and MagIran, using keywords such as health literacy, seafarers, and strategies to retrieve the most recent relevant studies.
Results: Inadequate health literacy among seafarers can lead to increased disease and infection rates, inability to manage emergencies, reduced quality of life, and higher healthcare costs. Ultimately, these issues may contribute to elevated risks of maritime accidents and safety deficiencies, which have far-reaching negative impacts on individual health and overall maritime operational safety, reducing seafarers' efficiency and productivity. Various strategies -such as conducting training courses and practical workshops on health and hygiene, disease prevention, emergency management, utilizing diverse media for health literacy education, empowering seafarers to seek and evaluate health information, and actively involving them in health literacy promotion programs- can enhance seafarers' health literacy.
Conclusion: Improving health literacy among seafarers not only enhances their quality of life and reduces disease burden but also increases the safety and efficiency of maritime operations. By implementing targeted educational programs and fostering a culture of health awareness, significant improvements can be made in their working and living conditions. |
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| Keywords: Health literacy, Seafarers, Health behaviors, Scoping review |
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Full-Text [PDF 397 kb]
(31 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Review |
Subject:
Marine Medicine
Received: 2024/09/30 | Accepted: 2025/01/29 | Published: 2025/06/20
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