Lovell et al 2021

Authors: Dr Rebecca Lovell, Dr Lewis R. Elliott, Prof Michael H. Depledge, Prof Lora E. Fleming, Dr Joanne K. Garrett, Dr James Grellier, Dr Mathew P. White, Dr Benedict W. Wheeler

Chapter 6: Introduction

The links between the coasts and our health has a long history. In the 18th and 19th centuries several sea-bathing hospitals were established around the English coast and coastal ‘convalescence’ continued to be prescribed by doctors well into the 20th century.Medical advances, including antibiotics, appeared to make such ‘treatments’ redundant, but modern public health challenges, such as the rise of non-communicable diseases, have reawakened interest in the potential benefits of coastal living for 21st century public health.

A decade of research has demonstrated that there are health benefits (both physical and mental) to living near the coast which are not merely the result of selective migration.Whilst the reasons for this comparatively better health are varied, evidence demonstrates that the nature of, and human interactions with, the coastal environment are contributory factors.

This chapter focuses predominantly on the contribution of the natural environment to the health and wellbeing of coastal residents. This chapter highlights how successfully protecting and improving coastal environments can simultaneously foster and promote human health. The use of the coast as a therapeutic setting is also briefly discussed.