Year: 2026 | Month: October | Volume: 16 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 17-27
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20261003
Association Between Low Back Pain Disability and Quality of Life Among Fishermen: A Cross-Sectional Study
Sanika Mujumdar1, Aishwarya Chaudhari2, Asmita Karajgi3
1Assistant Professor, Community Physiotherapy Department, The SIA College of Health Sciences, College of Physiotherapy, Dombivli East, Maharashtra, India
2Intern, The SIA College of Health Sciences, College of Physiotherapy, Dombivli East, Maharashtra, India
3Dean and Principal, The SIA College of Health Sciences, College of Physiotherapy, Dombivli East, Maharashtra, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sanika Mujumdar
ABSTRACT
Background: Fishing is a physically demanding occupation involving repetitive pulling and pushing, lifting and carrying loads, forward bending, trunk rotation, prolonged postures, boat vibration and irregular working hours. These occupational demands may contribute to low back pain and may adversely affect quality of life.
Objective: To determine the association between low back pain disability and quality of life among fishermen.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 113 male fishermen aged 18–45 years from Naigaon and Vasai. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Low back pain disability was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), version 2.1a and quality of life was assessed using the SF-12 Health Survey version 2, including the Physical Component Summary (PCS-12) and Mental Component Summary (MCS-12). Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed using SPSS. The Shapiro–Wilk test was used to assess normality, followed by Spearman’s rank correlation.
Results: The mean age of participants was 38.68 ± 6.36 years. 50% of participants had minimal disability, 42% had moderate disability and 8% had severe disability. 49% had affected physical health according to the study’s stated PCS-12 interpretation, while 5% were classified as having an affected mental health component. ODI showed a significant negative correlation with PCS-12 (ρ = −0.506, p < 0.001) and MCS-12 (ρ = −0.350, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Greater low back pain disability was significantly associated with poorer physical and mental health-related quality of life among fishermen.
Key words: Fishermen; Low back pain; Disability; Quality of life; Oswestry Disability Index; SF-12