ABSTRACT

Islands have long been associated with health. Three key aspects of island life are: isolation; boundedness; and small size. This chapter reviews characteristics of organised health care and wellbeing on islands. It offers closer consideration of the idea of wellbeing through exploration of the value placed on the surrounding seas by residents of two islands that comprise part of Auckland, New Zealand: Waiheke and Rotoroa Island. Providing health care and social services on island settings presents particular challenges including: distance to specialist facilities; costs of provision; and availability of suitably qualified staff. The consequences of inadequately addressing these issues include poor access to health care for island residents as well as visitors. Increasingly, poorer island nations are promoting tourism explicitly aimed at visitors seeking medical care. In the Caribbean region, for instance, medically-focused 'health tourism' is being seen as a means to diversify the tourism sector and contribute to economic development.