Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitude, and Performance of Radiographers towards Radiation Protection in Southern Khorasan Province, Iran

Document Type : Original Paper

Authors

1 Radiology student, Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

2 CardioVascular Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, X-ray radiographic imaging plays an essential role in disease diagnosis and treatment. In addition to benefits, X-rays have harmful effects for both patients and radiographers. Observing radiation protection principles reduces radiation exposure and the probability of radiation risk. Therefore, we sought to assess the knowledge, attitude, and performance of radiographers in this regard.
Material and Methods: This descriptive and analytic study was performed in South Khorasan Province in 2017. Data collection was performed by using a questionnaire containing items on knowledge, attitude, and performance. By using the census sampling method, 100 radiographers and senior radiology students were enrolled. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics were used in SPSS, version 20.
Results: The mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and performance were 61.8±13.8, 67.4±21.5, and 50.7±18.4, respectively. Gender had no significant effect on the radiographers' knowledge, attitude, and performance. The level of education was not significantly related to performance, while it had a significant direct association with knowledge and attitudes of the participants.
Conclusion: Considering the knowledge, attitude, and performance scores of the radiographers and their willingness to attend retraining courses, we recommend holding  such courses. It seems that these courses could be very effective in improving the knowledge, attitude, and performance of radiographers towards the principles of radiation protection.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. References

     

    1. Asadinezhad M, Bahreyni Toossi MT. Doses to patients in some routine diagnostic X-ray examinations in Iran: proposed the first Iranian diagnostic reference levels. Radiat Prot  Dosimetry. 2008; 132(4): 409-14.
    2. Zarghani H, Bahreyni Toossi MT. Evaluation of Organ and Effective Doses to Patients Arising From Some Common X-Ray Examinations by PCXMC Program in Sabzevar, Iran. Iranian Journal of Medical Physics. 2015;12(4):284-91.
    3. Sani KG, Jafari M, Mohammadi M, Mojiri M, Rahimi A. Iranian physicians’ knowledge about radiation dose, received by patients in diagnostic radiology. Iranian Journal of Radiation Research. 2009;6(4):207-11.
    4. Bahreyni Toossi MT, Zarghani H. Excess cancer risk assessment from some common X-Ray examinations in Sabzevar County. Iranian Journal of Medical Physics. 2011;8(3):13-9.
    5. Zarghani H, Bahreyni Toossi M T. Calculation of the Received dose to the gonads arising from some common diagnostic radiography. J Birjand Univ Med Sci. 2017; 24 (2) :101-]7.
    6. Prasad KN, Cole WC, Haase GM. Radiation protection in humans: extending the concept of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) from dose to biological damage. The British Journal of Radiology. 2004;77(914):97-9.
    7. Lomax ME, Folkes LK, O'Neill P. Biological consequences of radiation-induced DNA damage: relevance to radiotherapy. Clinical oncology. 2013;25(10):578-85.
    8. International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP publication 60: 1990 recommendations of the international commission on radiological protection. New York: Elsevier Health Sciences; 1991.
    9. Karami V, Zabihzadeh M. Radiation protection in diagnostic X-ray imaging departments in Iran: a systematic review of published articles. Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. 2016;26(135):175-88.
    10.  Ali KN, Jalil SZ. Radiation Safety Awareness among Workers in Battery Manufacturer Company. InSymposium on Occupational Safety & Health 2017 ;13:73.
    11.  Karami V, Zabihzadeh M. Beam collimation during lumbar spine radiography: A retrospective study. Journal of biomedical physics & engineering. 2017;7(2):101.
    12. Kadiri S, Hodolli G, Nafezi G, Dollani K. Assessment of Beam Quality in Some Radio Diagnostic Centers. Journal of Chemical, Biological and Physical Sciences (JCBPS). 2016;6(4):1217.
    13. Mettler Jr FA, Huda W, Yoshizumi TT, Mahesh M. Effective doses in radiology and diagnostic nuclear medicine: a catalog. Radiology. 2008;248(1):254-63.
    14. Davoudian Talab AH, Badiee Nejad A, Beit Abdollah M, Mahmoudi F, Barafrashtehpour M, Akbari G. Assessment of awareness, performance, and attitudes of radiographers toward radiological protective principles in Khuzestan. Iran. J Health Res Community. 2015;1(3):15-23.
    15. Chaparian A, shamsi F,Heydari A. Assessment of awareness, attitude, and practice of radiographers about radiation protection in Yazd province. OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE Quarterly Journal. 2013;5(1):16-23.
    16.  Alipoor R, Mousavian G, Abbasnezhad A, Mousavi SF, Haddadi G. Knowledge, Attitude, and Performance of Radiographers about the Principles of Radiation Protection and Following Protective Standards in Medical Imaging Centers of Hospitals in Fasa in 2015. Journal of Fasa University of Medical Sciences. 2016;5(4):564-70.
    17. Slechta AM, Reagan JT. An examination of factors related to radiation protection practices. Radiologic technology. 2008;79(4):297-305.
    18. Su WC, Huang YF, Chen CC, Chang PS. Radiation safety knowledge of medical center radiological technologists in taiwan. Radiation Oncology. 2000;50(2):1-3.
    19. Shah AS,Begum N, Nasreen S,Khan A. Assessment of radiation protection  awareness levels in medical radiation science technologists_a pilot survey. Postgraduate Med Instit (Peshawar-Pakistan). 2011;21(3):169-72.