Occupational stress among radiographers in Lagos, Nigeria

Occupational stress induced injuries occur in various professions that require repetitive motion or physical exertion, such as Radiography. The injuries may involve body parts such as the neck, the upper back, mid back, low back (waist), knee, elbow, wrist and hand and eyes.

To assess work related injuries medical radiographers are prone to, during practice of the profession in relation to their working conditions.

This study was conducted among registered practicing radiographers in Lagos State, South-West, Nigeria. Lagos is one of Nigeria's most populated states and economic nerve centre of Nigeria. Due to its population, there are many hospitals with radiodiagnostic facilities and radiodiagnostic centres which are either government or privately owned. Eighty registered radiographers in 21 hospitals and diagnostic centres participated in the study. They include three federal government owned institutions, three State government owned institutions and fifteen privately owned diagnostic centres. The respondents' status were made up of 38 males and 42 females where 37 of them were between 20-30 years, 11 were between 41-50 years and those above 51 years were 12.

The results revealed that a majority (91.2%) of respondents stand during the course of their work. Waist, neck, heel, wrist and shoulder pains were common among the respondents. Some respondents frequently manifest frustration (78.7 %), insomnia (52.5 %), difficulty in concentration (56.2%), poor appetite (50.0%), irritation (67.5 %) and tension (63.8%) while lesser percentages experience such.

This study showed that occupational stress sites susceptible to work induced stress injury. Musculoskeletal strain was the most common type. Waist/ low back, plantar/heel and wrist pains were also common among radiographers in Lagos, Nigeria.