Injuries and Musculoskeletal Diseases Among Fishermen and Seamen
Author Information
Author(s): Linda Kærlev, Anker Jensen, Per Sabro Nielsen, Jørn Olsen, Harald Hannerz, Finn Tüchsen
Primary Institution: Research Unit of Maritime Medicine at University of Southern Denmark
Hypothesis
Are hospitalizations for musculoskeletal diseases and injuries more common among fishermen and seamen compared to other economically active Danes?
Conclusion
Fishermen and non-officers have high standardized incidence ratios for injuries and musculoskeletal diseases, with an increase in injuries observed between 1994 and 1999.
Supporting Evidence
- High standardized incidence ratios for knee arthrosis and thoraco-lumbar disc disorders were found among fishermen.
- Non-officer seamen had high standardized incidence ratios for injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Short-term employments were common among both fishermen and seamen.
- Statistically significant SIRs above 200 were seen for rotator cuff syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Takeaway
Fishermen and non-officers get hurt a lot at work, and the number of injuries went up over time.
Methodology
The study linked cohorts of Danish seamen and fishermen to the Occupational Hospitalisation Register and calculated standardized incidence ratios for various diseases.
Potential Biases
Potential referral bias and healthy worker effect may have influenced results.
Limitations
High turnover of cohort members and lack of specific exposure data.
Participant Demographics
The study included 36,113 male seamen and 11,755 male fishermen.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 166–317
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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