Health profile of traditional diving fishermen in Guaeria Village West Halmahera

Abstrak

Fishermen are at risk of facing health issues such as eye and hearing disorders, unhealthy habits, and additional risks for traditional divers like ear barotrauma, thus requiring a health profile for a specialized approach to improving their health, which is different from the general population. This study aims to identify the health profile of traditional diving fishermen in Guaeria Village, West Halmahera, including factors that affect their health such as age, education, blood pressure, and other related health conditions. The design of this study is a descriptive cross-sectional with a total sample of 40 fishermen. The research results show that the majority of respondents were over 40 years old (75%) and had the highest level of education at the elementary school level (52.5%). Most of them experienced stage II hypertension (42.5%) and had a history of ear barotrauma (100%) with 45% of respondents experiencing tympanic membrane perforation. The vision condition of the respondents was mostly normal, but there were refractive errors and pterygium in some respondents. The fishermen's diving activities are quite intensive, with most of them diving at depths of more than 10 meters. This study concludes that traditional diving fishermen in Guaeria Village face health risks related to diving activities, such as ear barotrauma and hypertension, as well as vision conditions that require further attention.