Evidence based medical imaging practice in Nigeria: A paradigm or a placebo?

Background

Any Medical imaging practice or education which is not based on current best evidence is unscientific and lacks the capability for sustainable quality and improvement. From literature search, there has not been any structured or empirical research to determine the knowledge attitudes and perceptions of radiographers to evidence based medical imaging in Nigeria.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards the use of evidence based medical imaging among medical imaging scientists (radiographers) in south eastern Nigeria.

Methods

Quantitative research methods were employed. A questionnaire was sent to all radiographers working in hospitals in south eastern Nigeria for whom contact could be established (n = 60). The questionnaire included questions seeking information on radiographer’s definition of EBMI, attendance at EBMI courses, beliefs regarding patients’ willingness and capability to participate in EBMI and their perceived barriers to use of EBMI. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and theme analysis of suggestions made by radiographers. SPSS (11.0) was used.

Results

Fifty out of the sixty questionnaires were returned. None of the respondents have ever attended an EBMI course, reads regularly or subscribes to a journal. 88% of respondents ticked the correct definition of EBMI. 62% of radiographers commented that EBMI is new to them. Analysis of barriers to the use of EBMI showed that no access to EBMI resources was the dominant barrier (36%). 15 (30%) of radiographers believe that 10% of patients can participate in EBMI, while 4 (8%) of radiographers believe that 100% of patients can participate. The majority of respondents (48%) believe that mass education of radiographers will improve the practice of EBMI.

Conclusions

We conclude that there is poor knowledge and attitude towards the use of EBMI by most radiographers (medical imaging scientists) in the south east Nigeria. Individual and organizational barriers to the use of evidence based medical imaging were identified. Mass education and better organizational platforms are needed to improve the practice of EBMI in Nigeria. A broad-based approach that integrates EBMI into practical clinical, teaching, administration and research domains is canvassed for Nigerian radiographers.