Rethinking Maritime Mental Health through Health Economics: Cost, Behavior, and Policy Innovation at Sea

Maritime labor underpins global trade and economic resilience, yet the human dimension of shipping is often overshadowed by operational and financial concerns. Seafarers operate in physically taxing, socially isolating, and psychologically demanding environments—factors that carry considerable economic implications. Poor mental health at sea can lead to absenteeism, errors, reduced productivity, and increased health expenditures, all of which result in significant costs to employers, insurers, and national economies. While public health frameworks increasingly acknowledge mental health as a determinant of economic productivity, the maritime sector lacks systematic economic assessment of the costs, outcomes, and financing mechanisms associated with mental well-being. Emerging behavioral economics research underscores how individual risk perceptions, fatigue-related decisions, and cultural norms shape health behaviors in isolated occupational settings like seafaring. Yet, the economic modelling of these behavioral dynamics, their impact on healthcare utilization, and their long-term financial consequences remain underdeveloped.This Research Topic aims to reframe maritime mental health as a critical subject within health economics by assessing its behavioral, financial, and policy dimensions. It seeks to quantify the economic burden of mental ill-health in the maritime industry, evaluate cost-effectiveness and cost–utility of preventive and supportive interventions, and explore how health financing and insurance mechanisms can promote equitable and sustainable access to mental health support for seafarers. By linking individual behavior with systemic financing and policy design, this Research Topic aims to generate evidence that informs both corporate investment and public health decision-making across global maritime systems. It will also address the role of economic incentives, market regulation, and governance frameworks in improving mental health outcomes and reducing health inequalities within the labor force at sea.To gather further insights into the economic determinants of maritime mental health, we welcome articles that apply theoretical, empirical, and evaluative methods consistent with the Health Economics section. This Research Topic is broad but excludes purely clinical or therapeutic papers, emphasizing economic, behavioral, and policy analyses.This collection welcomes submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Behavioral economics and health behavior: Exploring how psychological and social factors influence health decisions, compliance with preventive programs, and risk behavior at sea.o Health economic evaluation: Conducting cost–effectiveness, cost–utility, and cost–benefit analyses of mental health and well-being interventions for seafarers.o Health economic theory and empirical analyses: Investigating patterns of mental health demand and healthcare utilization among maritime workers, and their impacts on expenditures, efficiency, and workforce outcomes.o Health financing and insurance: Examining insurance coverage, employer-financed welfare programs, and innovative public–private mechanisms for mental health support in global shipping.o Health inequalities and disparities: Assessing the role of socioeconomic status, gender, nationality, or job rank in shaping access to care and health outcomes in seafaring populations.o Health policy and healthcare systems: Evaluating policy instruments, employer strategies, and governance models that integrate mental health into occupational health systems at sea.o Role of the private sector and insurers: Investigating how corporate policies, ESG frameworks, and maritime insurance structures influence funding priorities and health outcomes. Topic editors: Konstantinos A. Chrysafis, SOTIRIOS KARKALAKOS, Georgia C. Papadopoulou Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81526/rethinking-maritime-mental-health-through-health-economics-cost-behavior-and-policy-innovation-at-sea