Abstract

ALGRANTI, Eduardo; ALI, Salim Amed  and  CUGINOTTI, Aloisio Punhagui. The inadequacy of indiscriminate periodical X-ray exams in occupational health: the results of the 1984 census in a large firm. Rev. Saúde Pública [online]. 1986, vol.20, n.1, pp. 26-32. ISSN 0034-8910.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89101986000100003.

This paper reports on the results of the 1984 Minimal Mass Radiography (MMR) screening in a large company with no respiratory harzards are reported. Among 5,308 MMR there were 53(1%) abnormal findings with 4 cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis. The yield from screening was 0.75/1,000 MMR. The mean cost of diagnosing each active case of tuberculosis was around US$ 1,850. An increase in refusal rates to attend the screening, from 1.6% in 1982 to 7.8% in 1984, probably because of the increasing lay knowledge of radiation harzards, was also noted. The results are discussed with a short revision of ionizing radiations and the usefulness of X-ray screenings in occupational health.

Keywords : Mass chest X-ray; Radiation, ionizing; Occupational health.