Assessment of Knowledge and Practice on Radiation Protection in Radiological Imaging Among Healthcare Professionals at HPUniSZA

Abstract

Ionizing radiation aids in diagnosing and treating diseases. However, without proper knowledge and practice of radiation protection, it can be harmful, especially among healthcare professionals. This study aims to examine the knowledge and practice of radiation protection among healthcare workers at the HPUniSZA. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the HPUniSZA from March 2022 to June 2023 for healthcare professionals in HPUniSZA. The questionnaire was distributed online and through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze sociodemographic, knowledge, and practice of radiation protection while Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between knowledge and practice of radiation protection among the respondents. A total of 60 healthcare professionals in HPUniSZA participated in this study. The mean knowledge level was found to be 6.20 (SD, 2.905) indicating a range of medium-good level of knowledge of radiation protection while for practice was found to be 8.20 (SD, 2.394) indicating a good practice of radiation protection among healthcare professionals. A significant positive and fair correlation (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) was demonstrated between knowledge and practice levels on radiation protection in radiological imaging. The knowledge level and the practice of radiation protection among healthcare professionals are in the range of medium-good level and good levels respectively. There is a correlation between knowledge and practice of radiation protection among healthcare professionals in HPUniSZA. Assessing the knowledge and practice of radiation protection among healthcare professionals is of utmost importance to ensure patient safety, minimize radiation risks, and facilitate effective and efficient healthcare delivery both now and in the future.