{"title":"Forensic radiography: The perspectives and experiences of qualified radiographers in Ghana","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101711","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Despite the benefits of forensic radiography (FR), its practice is in its infancy in Ghana. Radiographers, knowingly or unknowingly undertake forensic imaging despite a lack of guidelines, protocols and proper training in Ghana. This study aimed to explore Ghanaian radiographers’ perceptions of FR and identify their experiences.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>A cross-sectional study design with an online survey was employed. Study participants included consecutively sampled qualified radiographers practising in Ghana. Data were descriptively and inferentially analysed. The significance for inferential analysis was set at <em>p</em> < 0.05. The key ideas from the narrative response to open-ended questions were presented as frequencies on a bar graph representing the frequency of each response.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Completed responses were received from 124 qualified radiographers. Participants demonstrated a fair knowledge of FR (overall mean score (oms) = 3.95). Most participants (75% n=93) believed FR was within their professional scope of practice though the majority (57.2% n=71) believed they lacked formal training in FR. FR was perceived to be challenging among participants (ms= 3.52). Participants agreed on the provision of guidelines for FR practice by Ghanaian radiography stakeholders (oms= 4.23). Participants’ experiences revealed diverse roles in investigations and emotional/psychological reflections. Regarding cadaveric FR, most participants (59.7% n=74) expressed willingness to undertake. Specifically, male participants were 4 times more likely to report willingness than females (odd ratio (OR)= 4.147).</p></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><p>Ghanaian radiographers demonstrated fair knowledge of FR despite a lack of awareness regarding cross-sectional techniques in FR. They presented a multitude of positive and negative perspectives regarding FR. Training in FR and guidelines are imperative to transform future practices in Ghana. The study highlighted reluctance and willingness among radiographers to perform cadaveric FR, emphasising the need for emotional preparedness.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This study offers insight into the perspectives of Ghanaian radiographers on FR, which would be helpful for future developments regarding its practice.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":46420,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1939865424004429","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Despite the benefits of forensic radiography (FR), its practice is in its infancy in Ghana. Radiographers, knowingly or unknowingly undertake forensic imaging despite a lack of guidelines, protocols and proper training in Ghana. This study aimed to explore Ghanaian radiographers’ perceptions of FR and identify their experiences.
Methods
A cross-sectional study design with an online survey was employed. Study participants included consecutively sampled qualified radiographers practising in Ghana. Data were descriptively and inferentially analysed. The significance for inferential analysis was set at p < 0.05. The key ideas from the narrative response to open-ended questions were presented as frequencies on a bar graph representing the frequency of each response.
Results
Completed responses were received from 124 qualified radiographers. Participants demonstrated a fair knowledge of FR (overall mean score (oms) = 3.95). Most participants (75% n=93) believed FR was within their professional scope of practice though the majority (57.2% n=71) believed they lacked formal training in FR. FR was perceived to be challenging among participants (ms= 3.52). Participants agreed on the provision of guidelines for FR practice by Ghanaian radiography stakeholders (oms= 4.23). Participants’ experiences revealed diverse roles in investigations and emotional/psychological reflections. Regarding cadaveric FR, most participants (59.7% n=74) expressed willingness to undertake. Specifically, male participants were 4 times more likely to report willingness than females (odd ratio (OR)= 4.147).
Discussion
Ghanaian radiographers demonstrated fair knowledge of FR despite a lack of awareness regarding cross-sectional techniques in FR. They presented a multitude of positive and negative perspectives regarding FR. Training in FR and guidelines are imperative to transform future practices in Ghana. The study highlighted reluctance and willingness among radiographers to perform cadaveric FR, emphasising the need for emotional preparedness.
Conclusion
This study offers insight into the perspectives of Ghanaian radiographers on FR, which would be helpful for future developments regarding its practice.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences is the official peer-reviewed journal of the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. This journal is published four times a year and is circulated to approximately 11,000 medical radiation technologists, libraries and radiology departments throughout Canada, the United States and overseas. The Journal publishes articles on recent research, new technology and techniques, professional practices, technologists viewpoints as well as relevant book reviews.