[A public health view of seamen's wives. Role of the mother during the father's absence].

The health status of 59 wives of seamen during their absence from home being on board a ship was evaluated by THI (Tokyo University Health Inventory). There was no evidence that the absence of their husbands had any undesirable effects on their health, but those who received fewer telephone calls from their absent husbands complained more frequently of subjective symptoms related to mental problems. The same tendency was observed in those who sought advice from their neighbors and others at times of trouble with their children. A qualitative analysis of communication between the wives of seamen and their husbands or other social network and evaluation of the mother-infant relationship should be conducted in the future.