The prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among X-ray radiographers those working in Radiology Centers of the hospitals affiliated in AJA University of Medical Sciences: A Cross-Sectional Study

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are considered as one of the most important occupational diseases. These disorders among nurses can affect the quality of patients’ care. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among X-ray radiographers and nurses working in emergency departments of hospitals affiliated to AJA University of Medical Sciences in 2016.
This controlled cross-sectional study was conducted on 144 X-ray radiographers (case) and nurses (control) with at least one-year work experience employed in hospitals affiliated to the AJA University of Medical Sciences in 2016. To evaluate disorders of the body, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and to assess the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, the QEC method was used. The data were analyzed using independent t-test and Pearson by the SPSS 16 software.
The results showed that in the past year, the prevalence rates of musculoskeletal disorders among X-ray radiographers were respectively reported in the leg (80.5%), neck (50%), shoulder (41.6%) and knee (41.6%)Also, the prevalence rates in nurses were reported in neck (48.6%), femur (47.2%), leg (47.2%) and back (44.4%), respectively, more than other parts of the body. there was a significant relationship between occupational hazard awareness, shifts in a month and work experience with the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders but no significant relationship was seen between these factors in the other group. More occupational awareness was found in X-ray radiographers.
Discussion and Considering the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and poor posture at work and hazardous work conditions, ergonomic interventions to reduce the speed of work and working hours are recommended.