An assessment of medical students' proficiency regarding the hazards of radiological examinations on the health of workers and patients: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

Examining proficiency in radiation safetyamong pediatric residents in Palestine: a multicenter cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Safe radiological practices are essential in pediatric healthcare because of children's vulnerability to the chronic impacts of radiation exposure. Having sufficient knowledge is crucial for adopting radiological safety and effective communication with patients. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge about radiation safety among pediatric residents.

METHODS

This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to May 2022 in 15 Palestinian hospitals. All pediatric residents registered in the national pediatric residency program were eligible for inclusion. Convenience sampling was used to invite the participants. The questionnaire was based on a literature review and consisted of questions on demographic characteristics and sources of knowledge, in addition to 10 questions assessing knowledge about radiation safety. The proposed questions were reviewed by a panel of experts, and a pilot study was then conducted among 20 pediatric residents to improve linguistic accuracy and clarity. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The Mann‒Whitney and Kruskal‒Wallis tests were used to assess potential associations between knowledge scores and other categorical variables.

RESULTS

The final sample comprised 108 pediatric residents, for a response rate of 93.1%. Of those, 55.6% were females, and 44.4% were males. Most participants cited either personal study (36.1%) or medical school (36.1%) as the main sources of information about radiation safety. Approximately half had attended a conference related to radiological safety (47.2%), and over half said that they think the workplace was prepared for radiation safety (57.4%). The median knowledge score of the participants was 6.0/10.0. Years of pediatric training (p = 0.001) and source of information (p = 0.037) were significantly associated with higher knowledge scores. Most of the participants correctly identified the imaging modalities that use X-ray (97.2%) and cause the highest radiation dose (89.8%). The majority said they were familiar with the ALARA principle (60.2%). However, only 19.4% correctly chose the number of CXRs equivalent to an abdominal MDCT (19.4%), and less than a third correctly labeled orthopantomography as safe during pregnancy (28.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified knowledge gaps in radiation safety among pediatric residents, which could be addressed through tailored educational integration into pediatric training programs, emphasizing the risks pertinent to pediatric age groups. Moreover, the formulation of national guidelines is crucial for applying radiation knowledge in the field.

Knowledge and perceptions of ionising radiation among Croatian general practitioners: is there cause for concern?

Recent data suggest that general practitioners (GPs) are insufficiently familiar with health risks associated with ionising radiation and radiation doses. The aim of our cross-sectional study was therefore to see if this holds true for Croatian GPs. To do that, we distributed a questionnaire about ionising radiation and doses used in various radiological procedures by email or by handing it out to participants at a national GP conference. We received responses from 120 participating GPs. Most were women (83.1 %), and the mean participant age was 44.2 years (range 26-65) with mean practice of 17.1 years (range 1-40). Most participants (97 %) believed patients should be informed about the procedures they were referred to. All respondents knew that radiological procedures irradiate the patient's body, but not everyone agreed that they could be harmful. Less than half (47 %) thought that exposure to a single irradiation dose was enough to increase cancer risk. Most participants (89.2 %) identified X-ray scans as the largest irradiation source, whereas three GPs replied that computed tomography (CT) and conventional X-ray procedures did not involve radiation. Some respondents did not know if ultrasound involved ionising radiation. Although most GPs were women, only 21.7 % correctly identified the radiation dose in mammography. Our findings confirm inadequate GPs' knowledge of radiation exposures and call for better training programmes as part of continuing professional development.

Awareness of Radiation Hazards and Knowledge About Radiation Protection Among Medical Students at the Northern Border University, Arar

Studies have shown that medical students and doctors are not well equipped with knowledge of radiation hazards and their protection. This lack of knowledge may cause harm to patients and healthcare professionals. Objectives To compare the awareness of radiation hazards and knowledge about radiation protection among medical students at Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia, with and without prior teaching. Methods and materials This cross-sectional study was carried out among medical students from clinical years at Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia, from May 1st, 2023, to June 30th, 2023. Their consents were taken. Then they were randomly sorted into two groups. One group was given a radiation safety short course, and then they answered a questionnaire. The other group filled out the questionnaire without prior instruction, and analysis was done. The outcome of this study was quantified based on the score calculated after participants filled out the questionnaire. Results The mean score of students who didn't attend the radiology course was 3.38±1.8, while the score of students who attended the radiology course was 7.87±1.4 (p<0.001). Radiology course attendance showed a significant association with knowledge and awareness scores. Conclusions The average knowledge of medical students regarding radiation protection and hazards is quite poor. This lack of understanding could potentially lead to increased risks for both patients and healthcare professionals. The knowledge about radiation hazards and protection is increased in students who attended a short radiology course. We recommend implementing comprehensive educational programs that focus on radiation hazards and protection for medical students.