Self-medication practices among seafarers: a bibliometric review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Maritime Medicine
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Self-medication poses public health risks when not managed appropriately.
• Seafarers exhibit a higher propensity for self-medication due to occupational demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the research volume on self-medication habits among seafarers.
• To identify knowledge gaps in the literature concerning seafarer self-medication.

Main Methods:

• A rapid bibliometric analysis was conducted.
• The study focused on quantifying research output related to seafarer self-medication.

Main Results:

• A significant scarcity of research on seafarer self-medication practices was identified.
• The bibliometric analysis indicated a substantial knowledge gap in this specific population.

Conclusions:

• There is an urgent need to address the lack of data on seafarer self-medication.
• Developing targeted interventions requires further research and data collection.