Musculoskeletal symptoms, skin disorders and visual impairment among fishermen in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kalpitiya

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To describe musculoskeletal symptoms, skin disorders and visual impairmentamong fishermen in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kalpitiya. METHODS: This was a community based descriptive cross sectional study conducted from August to October 2011. The sample consisted of 465 fishermen with ≥ 6 months experience in fishing selected using the cluster sampling technique. An interviewer administered questionnaire and a record sheet were used for data collection. Prevalence of the above conditions with 95% confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated. Chi square test was applied for the investigation of the factors associated with the above conditions. RESULTS: The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was 61% (95% CI: 56.6%-65.4%). The commonest symptom was back pain (37.6%). The prevalence of skin disorders was 24% (95% CI: 20.1-27.8) and visual symptoms were 38.9% (95% CI: 34.5%-43.3%). The prevalence of visualimpairment of either eye was 24.3% (95% CI: 20.3%- 28.3%) low vision of either eye 22.4% (95% CI: 18.6%- 26.2%) and blindness of either eye was 1.9% (95% CI: 1.1-2.7). The prevalence ofvisual impairment of better eye was 16% (95% CI: 12.7-19.3), low vision of better eye 15% (95% CI: 12-18.3) and blindness of better eye were 0.9% (95% CI: 0.05-1.75). The prevalence ofmusculoskeletal symptoms, skin disorders or visual impairment did not vary according to service duration in the fishing industry, number of days spent in the boat for a trip or type of boat. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of musculoskeletal and skin disorders and visual impairment were relatively higher among the fishermen.