Introduction

History of the Textbook

Details

Parent Category: Volumes

Category: Introduction

Published: 02 June 2022

The textbook was first launched in November 2009, edited by Aksel Schreiner and with the aim of providing a comprehensive, web based and freely available source of information on the health, welfare and important issues affecting those at sea. Following its success it was extensively revised and a second edition, edited by Tim Carter, was published in 2013. Given the expansion in the field of maritime medicine, along with the ongoing wide spread use of the textbook from a global audience, it was decided to begin the next revision and produce this, the third edition. 

Suzanne Louise (Sue) Stannard worked as editor from 2017 to 2021, and Alf Magne Horneland and Jon Magnus Haga took over in the final phase when she moved on to other her new position.  Tim Carter has given important editorial advice and reviewed most of the texts. The editorial board (old and new) has given important input to the structure and content. A wide range of authors, some of whom had contributed to the first and second editions, has contributed to the extensive revision, which now is presented in a different format. The new design and technical solution is developed by Kjetil Horneland.

The most obvious revision is the new name, “Textbook of Maritime Health”. This was felt to be necessary to reflect the broad nature of the specialty to include not only ‘traditional’ medical subjects but also the importance of health and wellbeing amongst seafarers. Issues such as fatigue, stress, depression and other mental health issues are seen frequently among the seafaring population. In addition, lifestyle issues and illness such as obesity, alcohol and drug use and abuse and sexually transmitted disease have become or remain a major cause of illness and injury on board, possibly contributing to medical evacuation, early repatriation and early retirement.

How to use the book

Details

Parent Category: Volumes

Category: Introduction

Published: 09 January 2022

Scope and limitations

The Textbook of Maritime Health aims to provide a broad basis of information 

• in areas of the maritime industry that are particularly relevant to the health of seafarers, 
• in areas of medicine and health that are particularly relevant at sea and 
• in those areas that are essential to assess, maintain and manage a population of healthy seafarers who will, of course be taken ill, become injured or suffer issues related to their health and welfare. 

As stated above it is not intended to replace the IMGS or to be a clinical textbook for medical professionals working at sea. Rather it is a source of information for all those involved in the health and welfare of the seafarer be they working at sea themselves or shore based.

Given the intended scope of the book there will obviously be limitations in the detail provided for some users in some sections. However, we hope that with the use of the references and additional sources of information that are included in the text, all users will find what they are seeking. This may be directly within the Textbook of Maritime Health or indirectly through it. 

Practical assistance

Indexing

As a new development for the third edition the Textbook of Maritime Health now has a full index of subjects that can be found at the end of the book. Topics are indexed for their main area of content and if there are further sections of interest these will be mentioned within the text.

References

References are given at the end of each section and are given using the Vancouver referencing system. Please rememeber that if you are using the textbook offline, references given as a hyperlink will not be immediately available if there is no access to the internet. It is therefore recommended that you also download any references that may be of particular interest if this is your preferred way of using the textbook.

Feedback

If you have any comments on the content, format, aims or access of the textbook please do let us know by using the email addresses………

List of abbrevations

Details

Parent Category: Volumes

Category: Introduction

Published: 13 February 2022

1.3 Target Audiences

Details

Parent Category: Volumes

Category: Introduction

Published: 09 January 2022

The primary target audience for the book are maritime health professionals, including physicians, nurses, occupational health advisers and others. It is anticipated that uses will include:

• As a reference book to help respond to questions that arise in maritime health practice
• As support to formal training courses in maritime health
• As a self-directed distance learning aid for those wishing to improve and enhance their understanding of maritime health.
• As a source of text to indicate features of maritime health practice or to support advice being given, for example, in the making of policy or within case reports.

It is also expected that other potential users are:

• Other health professionals who want background information on maritime health
• Other health professionals who wish to obtain information on specific maritime health issues
• Other people in the maritime sector who need background information on health issues
• Other people in the maritime sector who wish to obtain information on specific maritime health issues
• Web searchers of all backgrounds who ask a question that relates to maritime health.

We have attempted to ensure that maritime terms are described in ways suitable for a non-maritime audience and medical terms and concepts are described in a way that is appropriate for non-medical professionals accessing the textbook. However we have also tried to ensure that this does not detract from the content and level of detail that can be found throughout the textbook. When we feel they may be useful we have used explanatory pop ups to give additional information.