Anxiety and depression in radiation technologists of diagnostic-therapeutic wards and operating room technicians

Introduction: Inappropriate emotional reactions such as anxiety and depression have a profound impact on workplace accidents and mistakes. Patient health is correlated with work situations and health of medical staff. Therefore, the current study was performed to determine and compare the anxiety and depression and related factors in radiation technologists and operating room technicians. Methods: Present descriptive analytical (cross–section) study was carried out in selected educational centers of Kermanshah during the period from February 2016 till February 2017. 106 radiation technologists and operating room technicians were selected using convenience sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire consisting of "Beck" anxiety and depression scale and demographic section. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 18 and descriptive and inferential statistics such as covariance analysis, Chi-square, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov at a significant level of 0.05. Results: 12.4% of subjects had moderate anxiety, 3.4% high anxiety and 46.2% of them had different degrees of depression.  There was no statistically significant correlation between the work record and anxiety (p = 0.37), but this correlation was significant between the work record and depression (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Medical staff, diagnostic-therapeutic wards, exposed to stressors and may indicate emotional reactions. Development in servicing and adequate supports lead to supply healthy human resources and community health promotion. Therefore, necessary training is raised as a health priority to eliminate stressors and improve the working environment.