Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Turk Hijyen ve Deneysel Biyoloji Dergisi, cilt.77, ss.121-130, 2020 (Scopus)
© 2020. Turk Hij Den Biyol Derg. All rights reserved.Objective: Fishing has long been known as one of the most dangerous occupational groups. Fishermen are faced with long working hours, diffcult weather conditions and a heavy workload, and this poses various health risks. However, fshermen consume high amounts of seafood which are known to be protective against various diseases, compared to the general population. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the general health status of fshermen in the Marmara region by comparing them with the control group. Methods: This descriptive study was carried out between April 2018-August 2019 in Istanbul, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ and Yalova provinces. The study included 263 fshermen and 89 controls. In the collection of the data, a questionnaire containing questions about the socio-demographic, individual and health characteristics of the participants and the General Health Questionnaire used to determine the level of general psychopathology were used. Student-t test, Mann Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Fishermen’s smoking and alcohol use rates were found to be higher compared to the control group, but fshermen did not differ from the control group in terms of chronic diseases, medication use and health complaints. There is no difference between fsherman and control groups in terms of General Health Questionnaire scores. General Health Questionnaire scores of people aged 50 and under and those with any health complaints were found to be statistically signifcantly higher in both groups. General Health Questionnaire scores of those with chronic disease in the fsherman group and smokers in the control group were higher. Conclusion: Fishermen working under stressful conditions in a dangerous profession should be closely monitored for their physical and mental health problems. It should not be forgotten that risky health behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption are frequently observed in this group and individuals should be directed to professional support programs to prevent this situation.