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Mapping Research Trends on Health Economics and Marine Environment in the Last 20 Years
Summary
This study reviewed 20 years of research on how ocean health and human health are connected, finding that scientific interest has surged since 2016—largely due to growing worries about microplastic pollution and COVID-19's impact on fishing communities. The takeaway: protecting oceans isn't just about the environment, it's directly tied to the health, livelihoods, and even mental well-being of coastal communities, yet researchers say more attention is needed on fishers' mental health and fairness for workers in developing countries.
The intersection of health economics and marine environments has gained increasing attention as coastal communities face mounting pressures from environmental degradation, climate change, and public health crises. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 107 Scopus‑indexed articles published between 2005 and 2025, mapping the intellectual structure, publication trends, and thematic evolution of research linking health economics with marine and fisheries systems. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we employed Biblioshiny to analyze productivity, citation impact, collaborative networks, and keyword co‑occurrence. Our findings reveal that Marine Policy is the most influential journal, while authors such as Asche, Villasante, Hynes, and Rees drive the field through interdisciplinary collaborations. Publication output surged after 2016, peaking in 2024, driven by growing concerns over microplastic pollution and the COVID‑19 pandemic’s impacts on small‑scale fisheries. Key thematic clusters center on marine policy, fishery management, fishing community, public health, and plastic waste, with a notable shift from purely economic valuations toward integrated health and social‑equity perspectives. The United States and the United Kingdom lead in productivity and citations, whereas Indonesia shows moderate output but low impact due to localized scopes and limited international visibility. The research aligns strongly with SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well‑being), underscoring the need for evidence‑based policies that simultaneously safeguard marine ecosystems and coastal population health. Future research should prioritise ocean justice, mental health of fishers, and gender‑responsive interventions in developing countries.