Description:
Importance of the research. While the technologies evolve the working environment that has an influence for the health of each employee must improve as well. Noncompliance with the elementary ergonomics rules can have serious consequences for the workers and their health. Other potential threats are the recent increase in job-aggression, violence at work, unfavorable working conditions. Even the relationship between coworkers and relationships with managers are related to employee health. Aim of the study. To reveal the opinion of radiology technologists about their health and their connection with the factors of the working environment.
Objectives of the study:
1. To discuss the risk factors of the working environment of radiology technologists.
2. To reveal the main complaints of radiology technologists about health, based on their opinion.
3. To reveal the links between the factors of the working environment of radiology technologists and the main complaints about health.
Research methodology. One-time research was performed – an anonymous survey. 101 radiology technologists were surveyed. Response rate 85,6 percent. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire, which was prepared on the basis of literature sources from Lithuanian and foreign authors. Statistical analysis of data was performed using the Microsoft Office Excel and SPSS 17.0 computer program. The differences are statistically significant when the significance level is p≤0,05. Research results. Most of the respondents in the study said their health is good at the moment (49,5 pct.) and has not changed compared to last year. However, more than half of the respondents(65,3 pct.) in the study suffered health damage that could be linked to working conditions. Most of the respondents suffered headache (37 pct.) and dizziness (26,7 pct.), weakening of vision (38,6 pct.), back (33,7 pct.), waist (31,7 pct.) and neck pain (29,7 pct.), sleepiness at work (22,8 pct.). The results showed that the vast majority of respondents
work in noisy (37,7 pct.), harmful because of ionizing radiation (73,3 pct.) and stressful environment (45,5 pct.), with an inappropriate temperature regime (32,7 pct.), working conditions that may has affected workers' health. Conclusions. The main working factors in RT job - harmful ionizing radiation, shift work, stressful working environment, mental-emotional stress that causes burnout syndrome, chemicals, work with patients that have blood and airborne diseases and ergonomic factors in the working environment. The most common health disorders among radiologists in their own opinion include vision weakening, eye tearing, headache and dizziness, joints, neck, back, lumbar pain, numbness of hands, drowsiness at work, runny nose, cough and sore throat. RT, who worked in the environment of ionizing radiation, often complained of dizziness, coughing, skin rash, insomnia, joint pain and visual disorders. Workers working in a noisy environment complained of headaches, dizziness, insomnia, frequent mood changes, hearing disorder, and those who worked in the underlying work environment felt headaches, weakness, insomnia, increased heart rate and depression. Meanwhile, working in an environment with an inappropriate temperature regime - complained of runny nose, sore throat, cough and increased sweating.