Ocean for Health: A Transdisciplinary Framework to Accelerate Research on Ocean-Human Health Connections

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Public Health
• Marine Science

Background:

• Ocean exposure is linked to improved human health, but mechanistic and epidemiological research is limited.
• Current understanding of ocean-human health interactions is fragmented.
• Existing research lacks a cohesive framework to guide future studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a transdisciplinary framework for structuring and advancing ocean-human health (OHH) research.
• To integrate existing theories and provide a comprehensive approach to OHH.
• To highlight how applying this framework can aid marine environmental protection.

Main Methods:

• Development of a transdisciplinary framework for OHH research.
• The framework comprises four key components: ocean stimuli, human interaction, individual processing, and health outcomes.
• Integration of previous theories and contextualization for future studies.

Main Results:

• A novel four-component transdisciplinary framework for ocean-human health research is presented.
• The framework systematically outlines the pathways from ocean stimuli to health outcomes.
• Application of the framework is expected to advance OHH research and marine conservation.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework provides a structured approach to the complex field of ocean-human health.
• This framework can guide future research, enhance understanding of OHH connections, and support marine ecosystem protection.
• Adopting a transdisciplinary approach is crucial for advancing OHH research and its implications for public health.