title: Current attitudes of Turkish anesthesiologists to radiation exposure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of anesthesiologists to radiation exposure and current safety practice in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled anesthesiologists from all over Turkey, including all levels of academic degrees and all types of different institutions. Questionnaire forms were sent via e-mail to 505 anesthesiologists. The survey collected demographic data such as age, gender, position, and the institution at which the participant worked, and data about the frequency of radiation exposure during procedures and the participant's attitudes concerning radiation safety measures during these procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaire forms were delivered to 491 anesthesiologists, and 301 (61.3 %) of these were returned. Of these, 9 had not completed the questionnaire because of a lack of exposure to radiation. Among the remaining 292 personnel, the weekly frequencies of radiation exposure were more than five times (36.7 %), one to five times (50.3 %), and less than once (13 %) per week, respectively. Only a few anesthesiologists regularly wore a lead apron (30.11 %) and a thyroid shield (11.3 %) during procedures involving radiation exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that nearly all anesthesiologists are regularly exposed to radiation and that few anesthesiologists in Turkey wear protective clothing, which is essential for radiation protection. Therefore, if it is not, increasing awareness about radiation protection should be an integral part of medical training and education.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, 21280, Diyarbakir, Turkey, adnantufek@hotmail.com.
authors: Adnan
authors: A
authors: Tüfek
authors: Orhan
authors: O
authors: Tokgöz
authors: Ilker Öngüç
authors: IÖ
authors: Aycan
authors: Feyzi
authors: F
authors: Çelik
authors: Abdurrahman
authors: A
authors: Gümüş
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000776:Anesthesiology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D011835:Radiation Protection; D012449:Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey
references: Anaesth Intensive Care. 2006 Apr;34(2):216-7
references: 16617643
references: J Urol. 2012 Apr;187(4):1301-5
references: 22341291
references: Radiographics. 1992 Mar;12(2):381-92
references: 1561427
references: Health Phys. 2004 Sep;87(3):251-7
references: 15303061
references: Br J Radiol. 2001 Jun;74(882):507-19
references: 11459730
references: Anesthesiology. 2011 Mar;114(3):512-20
references: 21285864
references: Pain Physician. 2001 Oct;4(4):343-8
references: 16902680
references: Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2000 Apr;1(3):197-203
references: 11705004
references: Pediatrics. 2003 Oct;112(4):971-2
references: 14523193
references: Radiology. 1996 Jul;200(1):24-5
references: 8657919
references: AANA J. 2011 Jun;79(3):257-67
references: 21751695
references: Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2011 Aug;24(4):445-50
references: 21577097
references: Br J Radiol. 1997 Jan;70:102-6
references: 9059306
references: Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2008 Dec;59(4):251-9
references: 19064362
references: J Endourol. 2011 Oct;25(10):1609-13
references: 21819221
references: Acta Orthop Belg. 2006 Oct;72(5):615-20
references: 17152427
references: Med Phys. 1993 Sep-Oct;20(5):1303-14
references: 8289711
references: Radiol Technol. 2010 Jul-Aug;81(6):538-47
references: 20606048
references: Radiat Res. 2010 Dec;174(6):793-808
references: 21128805
references: Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2004 Dec;63(4):407-11
references: 15558765
references: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1992 Jan;158(1):191-3
references: 1530763
references: Radiology. 2000 Jul;216(1):9-10
references: 10887221
references: AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002 Jan;178(1):153-7
references: 11756110
references: J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 2008 Aug;52(4):365-9
references: 18811760