Radiographers are exposed to occupational related health hazards, including physical and ergonomic, affecting posture, gait, performance and life quality leading to the manifestation of several musculoskeletal symptoms. Measuring worker perception and the prevalence of these hazards can help facilitate better risk management for radiographers, as these workers are envisaged to be the first point of contact, especially in resource poor settings. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the perception of radiographers about the risks that may be subject in clinical practice. It’s intended to...

This is a cross-sectional study using a quantitative approach. A self-applied questionnaire was answered by 50 radiographers from public and private imaging departments. Data on radiographer perception and exposure prevalence were collected using the Nordic Questionnaire Musculoskeletal (NQM) and descriptive and associative variable analyses were carried out.

From the total sample of 50 radiographers, 27 (54%) were female and 23 (46%) were male, with ages between 25 and 61 years old. 90% of them work in public imaging departments. 80% refer practicing physical activity. The majority of respondents (82 %) reported having felt pain work-related and a smaller percentage (42 %) states have suffered accidents at work (Table 1). The main causes of accidents at work are presented on Table 2 . The activities that led 60,0% of radiographers claim injuries was...

The results of this study show that there is a high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders related to work, 72 % of radiographers experienced the same in the last 12 months, it was concluded also that the female gender is most affected. Professionals generally suggest postural improvement and application of best practices according to standards of the institutions where they work, and the use of personal protective equipment.

Daniela Ganhão (BSc), Collaborator in the Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy Department, Health School - University of Algarve, Portugal. Email: [email protected] Luís Ribeiro (PhD), Professor in the Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy Department, Health School - University of Algarve, Portugal. Researcher in CIDAF – University of Coimbra (Centro de Investigação do Desporto e da Atividade Física) and Member of Studies Center in Healthcare (CES-ESSUALG). Email: [email protected] António Abrantes (PhD), Professor in the Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy Department, Health School - University of Algarve, Portugal. Researcher in CICS.NOVA...

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