Evaluation of personal protective equipment use in healthcare workers exposed to ionizing radiation in a Portuguese university hospital.

Introduction: Increasing use of ionizing radiation in hospitals exposes healthcare workers to health risks, therefore dosimetric surveillance and anti-radiation personal protective equipment are essential. However, low perception of risk has a negative impact on compliance. Objectives: To qualitatively characterize exposure to ionizing radiation and the compliance with anti-radiation personal protective equipment and personal dosimeters by workers, at a university hospital in Portugal. To investigate the impact of attending health examinations or participating in training activities on this compliance. Methods: Cross-sectional study design administering a questionnaire constructed by the authors to all healthcare workers exposed to ionizing radiation (n = 708). Results: A total of 295 workers completed the questionnaire. They worked in 16 different services using eight different types of ionizing radiation-emitting equipment, the most common of which were fluoroscopes. Lead aprons and thyroid protectors were the anti-radiation personal protective equipment with greatest compliance (61.7 and 55.6%, respectively), while fewer respondents used protective glasses (8.1%) and lead gloves (0.7%). Regular use of a dosimeter was reported by 78.3% of workers and use was associated with participation in training and with attending health examinations. The most frequent reasons given for not wearing anti-radiation personal protective equipment were unavailability (glasses and gloves), presence of a protective barrier, and discomfort. The most common reason for not using a dosimeter was forgetting to do so. Conclusions: Workers who attended training and those who attended health examinations were more compliant with use of dosimeters, indicating that these are useful strategies for improving workers' compliance with radiation protection measures.

Lombalgias em auxiliares de enfermagem hospitalares / Low back pain among hospital nursing assistants

Introdução: Os auxiliares de enfermagem (AE) hospitalares constituem um grupo profissional para o qual a lombalgia ocupacional é relevante. Objetivo: Caracterizar os contextos da lombalgia num grupo de AE que, por esse motivo, solicitaram exame médico ocasional. Métodos: Utilizou-se uma entrevista estruturada para a caracterização sociodemográfica, do estado de saúde e do episódio mais relevante de lombalgia e seu enquadramento, seguida de exame objetivo sumário e de consulta do processo individual do Serviço de Saúde Ocupacional (SSO). Resultados: Foram entrevistados 30 AE: predomínio de mulheres de meia-idade, com excesso de peso e sedentárias. Os episódios mais relevantes de lombalgia caracterizaram-se por dor intensa (93,3%), tendo condicionado limitação funcional em 63,3% dos AE. As atividades mais relacionadas com o episódio de lombalgia foram a transferência de doentes (23,3%) e a movimentação/o transporte de cargas >12 kg (20%). Todos eles recorreram a serviços médicos, mas, à data da entrevista, 80% mantinham lombalgia ativa. Ao exame objetivo, oito apresentavam dismetria dos membros inferiores, e 11, escoliose. Os sinais de Lasègue e de Bragard estiveram presentes simultaneamente em 11 casos. Identificaram-se associações significativas (p<0,05) entre a presença de sinais clínicos, a presença de lombalgia atual e a incapacidade para o trabalho. Conclusões: A maioria dos AE afirmou que o episódio agudo de lombalgia ocorreu durante a realização de tarefas exigentes, como transferência de doentes e movimentação/transporte de cargas >12 kg. Assim, apesar da influência dos fatores individuais, a prevenção e o tratamento da lombalgia em AE passam por uma intervenção integrada do SSO, minimizando o seu impacto na saúde e no absentismo.

Background: Occupational low back pain (LBP) is a relevant condition among hospital nursing assistants (NA). Objective: To characterize the context of LBP among NA who sought medical care for this reason. Methods: We conducted structured interviews to characterize the participants' sociodemographic profile, state of health and most relevant LBP episode. Next we subjected the participants to brief objective physical examination and reviewed their occupational health records. Results: We interviewed 30 NA, most of whom were middle-aged women with excess weight and sedentary lifestyle. The most relevant LBP episodes were characterized by severe pain (93.3%) and resulted in functional restrictions for 63.3% of the sample. Job tasks most frequently associated with LBP were patient transfer (23.3%) and lifting/carrying loads >12 kg (20%). Although all the participants had sought medical care, 80% still complained of pain at the time of the interviews. On physical examination, the Lasègue and Bragard signs were found in 11 participants. We found significant association (p<0.05) between clinical signs, ongoing pain and incapacity for work. Conclusions: According to most participants, LBP episodes occurred while performing tasks involving high physical demands, such as patient transfer and lifting/carrying loads >12 kg. The influence of individual factors notwithstanding, prevention and treatment of LBP among NA requires integrated occupational health interventions to minimize its impact on health and absenteeism.

Low back pain among hospital nursing assistants.

BACKGROUND: Occupational low back pain (LBP) is a relevant condition among hospital nursing assistants (NA). OBJECTIVE: To characterize the context of LBP among NA who sought medical care for this reason. METHODS: We conducted structured interviews to characterize the participants' sociodemographic profile, state of health and most relevant LBP episode. Next we subjected the participants to brief objective physical examination and reviewed their occupational health records. RESULTS: We interviewed 30 NA, most of whom were middle-aged women with excess weight and sedentary lifestyle. The most relevant LBP episodes were characterized by severe pain (93.3%) and resulted in functional restrictions for 63.3% of the sample. Job tasks most frequently associated with LBP were patient transfer (23.3%) and lifting/carrying loads >12 kg (20%). Although all the participants had sought medical care, 80% still complained of pain at the time of the interviews. On physical examination, the Lasègue and Bragard signs were found in 11 participants. We found significant association (p<0.05) between clinical signs, ongoing pain and incapacity for work. CONCLUSIONS: According to most participants, LBP episodes occurred while performing tasks involving high physical demands, such as patient transfer and lifting/carrying loads >12 kg. The influence of individual factors notwithstanding, prevention and treatment of LBP among NA requires integrated occupational health interventions to minimize its impact on health and absenteeism.

INTRODUÇÃO: Os auxiliares de enfermagem (AE) hospitalares constituem um grupo profissional para o qual a lombalgia ocupacional é relevante. OBJETIVO: Caracterizar os contextos da lombalgia num grupo de AE que, por esse motivo, solicitaram exame médico ocasional. MÉTODOS: Utilizou-se uma entrevista estruturada para a caracterização sociodemográfica, do estado de saúde e do episódio mais relevante de lombalgia e seu enquadramento, seguida de exame objetivo sumário e de consulta do processo individual do Serviço de Saúde Ocupacional (SSO). RESULTADOS: Foram entrevistados 30 AE: predomínio de mulheres de meia-idade, com excesso de peso e sedentárias. Os episódios mais relevantes de lombalgia caracterizaram-se por dor intensa (93,3%), tendo condicionado limitação funcional em 63,3% dos AE. As atividades mais relacionadas com o episódio de lombalgia foram a transferência de doentes (23,3%) e a movimentação/o transporte de cargas >12 kg (20%). Todos eles recorreram a serviços médicos, mas, à data da entrevista, 80% mantinham lombalgia ativa. Ao exame objetivo, oito apresentavam dismetria dos membros inferiores, e 11, escoliose. Os sinais de Lasègue e de Bragard estiveram presentes simultaneamente em 11 casos. Identificaram-se associações significativas (p<0,05) entre a presença de sinais clínicos, a presença de lombalgia atual e a incapacidade para o trabalho. CONCLUSÕES: A maioria dos AE afirmou que o episódio agudo de lombalgia ocorreu durante a realização de tarefas exigentes, como transferência de doentes e movimentação/transporte de cargas >12 kg. Assim, apesar da influência dos fatores individuais, a prevenção e o tratamento da lombalgia em AE passam por uma intervenção integrada do SSO, minimizando o seu impacto na saúde e no absentismo.