TITLE:
Assessment of Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Radiation Safety at Suez Canal University Hospital, Egypt
AUTHORS:
Rasha F. Abdellah, Shaimaa A. Attia, Ahmed M. Fouad, Amani W. Abdel-Halim
KEYWORDS:
Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Radiation Safety
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Radiology,
Vol.5 No.4,
December
29,
2015
ABSTRACT: Doctors who request imaging must be well trained in deciding whether diagnostic imaging is indicated and have an accurate knowledge of the associated risks. Although radiological doses are low and the chance of late effect is minimal, it should be kept as low as reasonably achievable. This cannot be achieved without a proper knowledge and adherence to safe practices. This cross-sectional study investigates the level of physicians’ knowledge about radiation safety and their attitude towards radiation protection. A self-administered questionnaire, for radiation safety was sent to a purposive sample of 120 physicians at Suez Canal University Hospital. Eighty questionnaires were filled by participants (response rate; 66.7%). The sample included 22 radiologists, 15 oncologists, 25 surgeons and 18 orthopedists. Most participants did not receive any radiation safety-related training (88.8%). Radiologists and oncologists were exposed to ionizing radiation more frequently; however, their knowledge was as low as that of other physicians. The overall knowledge score ranged from 40% - 60% (mean; 56.5 ± 15.2), with a low score among surgeons and orthopedics. The most deficient knowledge was in the dose of background radiation and the radiation dose received by patients in each type of radiation procedure. Adherence to safe radiation practices was violated by most of participants, especially surgeons and orthopedics, but they attributed it to the poor applicability of the protective measures during performing the procedures. This study concluded that physicians at the Suez Canal University Hospital had deficient knowledge, unsafe practices and negative attitude towards radiation safety policies & precautions.