The Quality of Social Environment and Social Accessibility of Fishing Communities in West Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

This study explored quantitatively the quality of the social environment of the traditional fishing community and its relation to social access assistance in Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia. The study applied three indicators: education, health, and family life. The result revealed that the overall level of social environment quality of the fishing community is high moderate (69.23), by which average score of education (68.50), health (76.86), and family life (62.34). The average social environment quality in urban areas is high moderate (71.39), while in rural areas is low moderate (66.18). T-test analysis of social quality showed that there is a significant difference to the social environment quality of life (t = 5.258**) among fishing community in urban and rural areas. The access to social assistance does not improve the quality of social life (t=3.537**). Finally, the fishing community showed preference to access social assistance is consumptive rather than productive. This study suggested that in order to improve their quality of life in fishing community, the government should take into account the character of the area and the productive assistance programs.

Key words: Quality of life, fishing communities, urban poor,  HDI