Individual characteristics and daily activities in their environment that connected with musculoskeletal disorder in fishermen communities in Oesapa coastal area, Kupang City, Indonesia

Introduction: A healthy environment is influenced by a population that is physically and mentally healthy. In particular, fishermen on the Oesapa coast have an active role in protecting the environment. The focus of this paper is on the physical health of fishermen in the area. Oesapa Coast is one of the biggest fishing villages in Kupang City. Most of the fishing communities in this area, still use traditional methods in the process of fishing. Every process in catching fish is still fully using fishermen. This can increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study aims to analyze the relationship between individual characteristics and daily activities with MSDs in fishermen. Methods: This research is an analytic descriptive study using a cross-sectional study. The number of respondents in this study was 30 men, all of whom were capture fishermen who were still actively working. Data on individual characteristics and fishing activities were obtained through questionnaires and direct observation, while MSDs were measured using the Nordic Body Map method. Result and discussion: The results showed that there was a relationship between BMI (p-value = 0.007; R = 0.480), years of service (p-value = 0.025; R = 0.408) and exercise habits (p-value = 0.017; OR = 0.431), with complaints MSDs in fishermen. Conclusion: BMI, work period, and exercise habits are factors related to MSDs in fishermen in the Oesapa Coastal region, therefore these factors need special attention so that MSDs in fishermen can be avoided.