Assessment of Staff’s Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Radiation Protection Measures in Mazandaran Province, Iran

Danial Seifi; Alireza  Khorrami

doi:10.18502/fbt.v12i1.17728

Danial Seifi Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Alireza Khorrami Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/fbt.v12i1.17728

Keywords: Knowledge; Attitude; Practice; Radiation Protection.

Abstract

Purpose: Ionizing radiation in medical imaging is one of the dominant diagnostic tools, and also correct knowledge of radiation protection affects staff safety behaviors during examinations. This study highlights the radiation protection Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) amongst a large number of hospitals and medical centers in Mazandaran province of Iran.

Materials and Methods: In order to assess the level of radiation protection KAP, a validated questionnaire was given to all MAZUMS-affiliated hospitals and clinics. Four hundred fifty-five staff members participated by responding to an original questionnaire. The sample consisted of nurses, radiographers, and medical doctors of various specialties involved daily in surgical procedures where ionizing radiation is required. The survey was conducted from April 2021 to January 2022, and the response rate was 72.3%.

Results: There were statistically significant differences in the level of staff KAP radiation protection with gender (p < 0.05), practicing age KAP level and radiation protection (p < 0.05), and there is no significant relationship between educational age and staff KAP level of radiation protection (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the level of overall radiation protection KAP level of workers regarding radiation protection safety was satisfactory but in some parameters it was insufficient. This could be due to a lack of consistent training and proper protection against ionizing radiation.