Relating factors to wearing personal radiation protectors among healthcare professionals

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: With increasing use of medical radiologic procedures, wearing proper protector should be emphasized to reduce occupational radiation exposures. This research describes the rates of lead apron wearing for radiation protection and assessed occupational factors related to wearing rates for various types of healthcare professionals. METHODS: We conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey through a website, on-site visits, fax, and mail. Of the 13,489 participants, 8858 workers who could not completely separate themselves from radiological procedure areas. Their general characteristics (sex and age), work history (job title, duration of employment, and hospital type), and practices (frequency of radiation procedures, ability to completely separate from radiation, and frequency of wearing protective lead aprons) were examined. RESULTS: The mean rate of lead apron wearing during radiologic procedures was 48.0 %. The rate was different according to sex (male 52.9 %, female 39.6 %), hospital type (general hospital 63.0 %, hospital 51.3 %, clinic 35.6 %, dental hospital/clinic 13.3 %, public health center 22.8 %), and job title (radiologic technologist 50.3 %, doctor 70.3 %, dentist/dental hygienist 15.0 %, nurse/nursing assistant 64.5 %) (p < 0.001). By logistic regression analysis stratified by job title, use of lead aprons by radiologic technologists and nurses/nursing assistants was associated with hospital type and exposure frequency score. For doctors, apron wearing was associated with employment duration. For dentists/dental hygienists, apron wearing was associated with the exposure frequency score. CONCLUSIONS: To improve working environments for healthcare professionals exposed to radiation, it is necessary to consider related factors, such as job title, duration of employment, and hospital type, when utilizing a planning and management system to prevent radiation-related health problems.