“I can see the sea!” – How can Blue Health improve our Wellbeing across Communities?
Abstract:
Background: Water is necessary for life and humans use water for a range of purposes. The ‘blue health’ field was investigated over a 6-week experiential period and a subsequent literature review, including a 10-day sailing voyage on the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s (JST) Tenacious mixed-ability tall ship. Blue health can be understood as interventions to improve health performed in an aquatic setting [1].
Methodology: The main lenses of focus were through ‘embodiment’ and the experience of disabled sailors aboard the Tenacious. A 6-week exploration was undertaken of the blue health field, including activities such as open water swimming and paddleboarding. A review of the databases Medline, Cochrane and Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED) was performed. The following search terms were used: ‘disabl*’ AND (‘blue health’ OR ‘water’ OR ‘water resources’ OR ‘water movements’). Papers not available in English were excluded.
Results: Through the literature search, there was evidence to support the value of a blue health approach, however the quality of evidence available was limited. Interventions, including interception-improving techniques, audio-visual recordings of sea settings and sailing, hold benefits for patients. These experiences can allow them to form alternative embodied knowledges, in particular around disability. Blue health also has an ecological dimension: protection of the aquatic environment also protects the health of humans.
Conclusion: More research is necessary in the blue health sphere on local, national and global levels. Blue health represents an intersection between art, sciences, and disability, and is a valuable resource for people to develop an embodied sensory experience and new social practices with water. Healthcare professionals should inform themselves and their communities on blue health approaches to facilitate improved patient access and directly contribute to this growing field.
