Retrospective 10-year study on Filipino seafarer medical repatriations: comparing two time periods.

A historical review of the 10-year period across the two studies revealed that these changes coincided with implementation of MLC 2006 in August 2013. This was designed as the seafarers' Magna Carta, promoting and establishing various provisions to improve global seafarers' welfare including areas such as minimum age, seafarers' employment agreements, hours of work or rest, payment of wages, onboard medical care, accommodation, food and catering standards, health and safety protection, and accident prevention. Our study shows changes in repatriations that indicate an improvement in trauma rates, and while no method can definitively show statistical correlation or cause and effect, we can safely conclude that there is a positive correlation between the implementation of the 2006 MLC and the repatriation rates of Filipino seafarers.