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Little research has been done to investigate the combination of biomechanical and work organization factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms among radiologic technologists. This cross-sectional study used a written self-report questionnaire to evaluate levels of job-related psychological stress, exposure to ergonomic stressors, and 12-month and 7-day prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints in radiologic technologists who worked in hospital or clinic-based settings in one health system. Written surveys based on interviews and direct observations of radiologic technologists and adapted from the Job Content Questionnaire and the Nordic Questionnaire were used to elicit information about psychological stress from a control-demands theory approach, work organization factors, categories of work performed, types of equipment utilized, prevalence and severity of musculoskeletal symptoms, and specific personal and health factors. Associations between personal factors, the type of work performed and the presence and severity of musculoskeletal symptoms were explored through statistical analysis. Work stress factors for radiologic technologists sin this study were compared to similar health technologists and nurses from a previously established database of Job Content Questionnaire scores. RESULTS: Radiologic technologists have a high prevalence of low back symptoms that are likely to interfere with work and leisure activities. Patient positioning was associated with an increased prevalence of low back symptoms. Transporting equipment was associated with an increased risk of experiencing right hand/wrist symptoms and dominant hand/wrist symptoms. Working as a sonographer was associated with increased risk of experiencing symptoms in the right shoulder, dominant shoulder, right hand/wrist and dominant hand/wrist. Positioning patients was associated with greater risk of experiencing musculoskeletal symptoms in the low back. Technologists in this study were older and had more education than other health care technologists from previous research using the Job Content Questionnaire. They had better scores for decision authority, decision latitude and supervisor support than the other technologists. However, they also had higher levels of physical exertion and psychological demands than the other technologists. They had a similar distribution of males versus females, and scores for created skills, job insecurity, total social support, co-worker support and job dissatisfaction as the other health technologists. Technologists in this study were older than nurses in previous research conducted with the Job Content Questionnaire. They had higher scores for decision authority and reported higher levels for psychological demands than the nurses in previous research. CONCLUSIONS: This group of radiologic technologists had a very high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms that were likely to interfere with work and leisure activities. Tasks related to patient handling and positioning and transporting equipment were associated with higher prevalence of symptoms. Results of this study may provide direction for future research efforts toward quantifying biomechanical exposures for radiologic technologists. |
