Comprehensive Assessment of Health Impacts from Exposure to Nonionizing Radiation for Healthcare Practitioners Working with MRI and Ultrasound

Abstract

Background. It is necessary to monitor the health disorders of healthcare practitioners exposed to a complex of occupational hazards to optimize their activities and substantiation of preventive health measures. The purpose of the study was the hygienic assessment of occupational hazards, analysis of data on self-assessment of the state of health (SASH questionnaire) among healthcare practitioners (MRI diagnostics specialists, ultrasound diagnostics specialists, and ophthalmologists, as a control group) exposed to nonionizing radiation, ultrasound, and noise. Materials and Methods. An analysis of hygienic parameters of the working environment (workplace) and questionnaire data of healthcare practitioners were carried out. The number of illnesses and absences from work, the level of quality of life, the level of depression, and the self-assessment of the state of health were evaluated according to the questionnaire. Results. An analysis of workloads made it possible to rank the severity and intensity of labor. Health disorders (according to the self-assessment of the state of health), the number of absences from work due to illness, an increase in complaints and level of depression, and a decrease in the level of quality of life were corresponded to the severity of labor. It was revealed that healthcare practitioners were exposed to a number of hazards during their work (above the threshold limit value (TLV)), which caused an increase in health disorders. Conclusions. During the organization of workplace ergonomics and implementation of preventive measures directed to maintaining health and early diagnosis of diseases, one should take into account the hygienic indicators of the working environment that exceed TLV, the results of self-assessment of the state of health (complaints) and morbidity of healthcare practitioners, the level of quality of life and the level of depression.