Radiation prevention and health complaints of radiology staff in Diyarbakir

Radiology workers who are mostly exposed to radiation, are more highly expected to be somatically or genetically affected by the negative effects caused by radiation in biological ways rather than a general society. In this paper, it was aimed to research health situations of workers in the radiology unit, reveal their current illnesses and health complaints, determine their protective measure habits and inform them about the protection methods from radiation via the training materials. The descriptive study was confirmed with the ethical decision approval numbered 19/11/2013-404 by the Board of Ethics in Gaziantep University. In the hospitals depending on the Secretary General of Public Hospitals Association in the Province Diyarbakır, of total 250 radiology persons currently working, 220 persons accepted to participate in the research, they were performed face to face interview techniques and question papers in the health institutions they have been still working after taking their consent verbally. The journey speed to the universe was 88%. By preparing training materials related with the protection methods from radiation, information was given about the protection methods from radiation after the application of question papers. The radiology workers were determined to use a lead apron with 66,8% and a lead screen with 65,5 among the protection tools from radiation at most. The health staff working in the radiology unit and not having professional radiology trainings were significantly found to be lower in their situations for having education about the protection from radiation (P=0,000). Mostly observed health complaints in the radiology workers were tiredness with the rate of 75,% and weakness with the rate of 72,7%. In accordance with their explanations, anemia of 24,5% and migraine of 22,3% were mostly observed diseases. Also, cancer in two radiology workers (0,9%) participating in the study and infertility in three radiology workers (1,4%) were observed. From the female participants, 19,6% had an involuntary abortion at least, 5,9% had a dead birth at least. According to the study results, the radiology workers especially in the child-bearing age must be warned to be protected from radiation, since the rate for experiencing pregnancy complications and having abortions in the radiology workers is more than the general society, and the workers not having professional education about radiology are not capable of the protection trainings from radiation. Creating conditions to work at the radiology units in more relaxed ways ergonomically and repeating the trainings about radiation safety to the workers in certain intervals by the hospital training units within the in-service trainings are considered to be useful.