The Current Status Of The Health Of Medical Radiation Workers And Radiation Protection In Dezhou City

ObjectiveIt will be studied and analyzed that the materials of physical examination of the health for 530 medical radiation workers in the medical units and their monitored personal dose, and the situation of radiation protection in 91 medical units in Dezhou city in order to know the health status of medical radiation workers, and current status of radiation protection management at medical units. The aims of this study would be to provide the scientific evidence for further enhancing radiation hygiene supervision and management in Dezhou city.Methods(1) The data of physical examinations from 530 radiation workers in the medical units in Dezhou city were collected and analyzed for health status by different indicators including the gender, work types [including three groups:diagnostic radiology (2A), radiation therapy (2D) and interventional therapy (2E)], exposed year of service (EYS, including three groups:0-,10-and 20-), and different level of medical units [including municipal level (ML), county level (CL) and township-level (TL)]. The health indicators covered cardiovascular system, blood system, ophthalmology, the indexes for the function of liver and kidney, as well as chromosome aberrations (CA) and micronucleus (MN). Occupational health examinations were conducted according to "The Regulation on Radiation Workers Health Management" announced by the Ministry of Health in China.(2) The data of annual personal dose about 530 medical radiation workers in 2013 were collected and analyzed by different indicators including work type (2A,2D and 2E) and different level of medical units (ML, CL and TL).(3) The study of radiation protection level in the workplace of 205 X-ray machines for medical diagnosis in 91 hospitals was conducted. The contents of study was included the room area and radiation protection facilities, and then the data were analyzed according to three levels of medical units (containing ML, CL and TL).In this study, the appointed persons were responsible for the input of all of data and recheck its accuracy. SAS9.1 software was used for statistical analysis. X2 test was used for data analysis. Two-sided test method was used for all of statistical tests (significance level a= 0.05), P<0.05 was considered that the difference has statistically significant.Results1. The analysis about current status of the health of medical radiation workers(1) The difference of the health between male and female radiation workers:it was found that for male radiation workers, all of the abnormal proportions of blood pressure, the abnormal proportion of ALB, GLOB, ALT and STB in liver function, UREA and UA in kidney function, and the abnormal proportion of CA were higher than in female; the rate of abnormal blood pressure, UA (uric acid) was significant different between male and female radiation workers (P<0.05).(2) The relationship between the health of medical radiation workers and EYS:the abnormal rate of blood pressure in male radiation workers in 0-group were obviously higher than other two groups (P<0.05). The abnormal rate of ocular lens in 20-group of male (62.93%) was dramatically higher than 0-(14.74%) and 10-groups (14.44%)(P<0.05). The abnormal rate of MON in 20-group of male (37.93%) was higher than 0-and 10-groups (P<0.05). The proportion of LYMPH in 20-group of female radiation workers (37.93%) was higher than 10-group (P<0.05).(3) The health situation of medical radiation workers in different level hospitals: NEU% in ML (24.14%) and CL (23.08%) was higher than TL in male (9.09%)(P< 0.05). And the abnormal proportion of MON, ALB, UA in CL were higher than TL. The abnormal proportion in STB in male radiation workers in CL was higher than ML (P<0.05)(4) The relationship between the health of medical radiation workers and work types: for the male of radiation workers, rate of abnormal blood pressure in 2A (29.79%) and 2D (39.13%) groups was higher than 2E (8.77%) (P<0.05), the abnormal rate of UREA in 2D group in male showed an obvious increase as compared with 2A (P< 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the work types and abnormal rate of ECG, lens, blood system, liver and kidney function, the rate of CA and the percentage of MN.2. The situation of personal radiation dose of medical radiation workers in Dezhou cityAccording to work types, it was found that the average annual dose levels in 2A, 2D and 2E groups were 0.40 mSv/a,0.17mSv/a, and 1.96mSv/a, respectively. And the annual dose in 2E was the highest in all of other types. For the different levels of medical units, the average annual dose in the hospital at ML, CL and TL were 0.74mSv/a,0.38mSv/a, and 0.44mSv/a, respectively. However, the above monitoring values are lower than one-tenth of the national standard limit.3. Current status of radiation protection in medical units in Dezhou cityThe situation of radiation protection in work place of 205 X-ray machines for medical diagnosis in 91 hospitals were measured and performed. The hospitals contained 13,27 and 51 medical units of ML, CL and TL, respectively. It was indicated that the average qualified rate of out of X-Ray rooms was 98.53% for all hospitals in Dezhou city, and the qualified rate out of X-ray machine rooms in the hospitals at ML, CL and TL was 99.41%,99.25% and 96.08%, respectively. Some problems occurred in checked medical units were found, such as lacking of warning signs, the loss of ventilation equipment, insufficient room area in all levels of hospitals. Especially, the above problems about radiation protection mostly were in the hospitals at township level.Conclusion1. The current status of the health of medical radiation workers in Dezhou city:the long-term low-dose radiation exposure can affect a number of health indicators in medical radiation workers. There is a certain difference of the health status between male and female radiation workers, and the difference is associated with the types of jobs, and different EYS, and the level of hospitals.2. The average annual dose equivalent in 2E is higher than other types of work, and the dose in all of work types and medical units are lower than one-tenth of the national standard limit.3. The radiation work environment in all levels of hospitals in Dezhou city is safe, which is in accordance with national standards. The hospitals in TL are the weakness in Radiation Hygiene Supervision and Management.