Assessing the Level of Knowledge, Attitude, and Performance of Radiographers About Radiation Protection in Bandar Abbas, Iran

Abstract

Background: Although radiography tests are beneficial in diagnosing various diseases, they have some risks for patients and radiology staff, which will be minimized if observing radiation protection standards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and performance of radiographers regarding radiation protection in the radiology departments of Bandar Abbas. Methods: This work was performed as a descriptive-analytical study. A questionnaire consisting of 38 items was distributed among all radiographers in Bandar Abbas. Information obtained from the questionnaires was analyzed by appropriate nonparametric tests and Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to normalize the distribution of scores. Finally, linear regression was employed to determine the effect of each independent variable on the knowledge score. Results: The participation rate of radiographers was 53.9%. The means and standard deviations of scores assigned to attitude, knowledge, and performance in the field of radiation protection were 65.36±27.11, 36.36±17.72, and 46.66±19.60, respectively. The relationship between age and experience of radiographers with their attitude, knowledge, and practice was significant (P>0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference between their attitudes in terms of the place of service (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that radiographers with different levels of age, education, and work experience have almost the same level of knowledge, attitude, and practice. They had an appropriate attitude and practice in the field of radiation protection.