Aims and objectives
To determine the awareness on ionizing radiation (IR) among non radiation healthcare workers at a teaching and referral hospital in East Africa.IR is generated when strong electron beam bombard metal.
This is used to diagnose and/or treat many medical condiditions.
Despite accrued benefits,
there are associated risks hence it may be dangerous to both medical radiation workers and other non medical radiation workers
Methods and materials
A cross sectional study was carried out among health workers at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital on their awareness onIR using scheduled interviews by the researcher.
Respondents were selected usingsimple random sampling over a six-week period in April-May 2014.
Fisher method was used for population less than 10,000.
Skilled radiation workers such as radiographers,
radiologists and medical physicists were excluded from the study.
All health workers had the right to refuse or accept to respond to the interviews which were based on questionnaires.Permission...
Results
Response rate was 74.8% (101/135).
The demographics of participants in the study are as shown on Fig.2.
There were 4 main sections with 15 questions that covered the study.
The responses were as follows; on knowledge of staff onIR (57%),
92 respondents considered MRI as producing IR; of awareness programmes put in place (86%); and,
the perceived effects ofIR (42% knew of more than 2 effects,
with 75mentiontioning cancer alone) Fig.3.
Under safety and protection measures,
a slight majority (52%) of respondents knew of lead...
Conclusion
Thehealthcarepersonnel along with the patients are at utmost risk of adverse effects of radiation exposureespecially duringimaging.
Despite this their knowledge and awareness on IR is limited hence likely to impact on their practice.
It worth noting that cooperation and collaborationwith non radiology professionals is critical for better management of patients.It incumbent on those with IR knowledge and awareness to disseminate and propagate the message.
The study recommendsregular trainings,
workshops and continuing education programmes on IR and radiation safety measures for all healthcare worker for positive...
Personal information
Caesar Barare
Cancer Treatment Centre,
Kenyatta National Hospital
Nairobi,
Kenya
[email protected]
References
Alavi S.S.
(2017) Medical Radiation Workers' Knowledge,
Attitude,
and Practice to Protect Themselves against Ionizing Radiation in Tehran Province,
Iran.
J Edu Health Promot2017 Vol.
6;58.
Alzubaidi M.
A.
(2017) Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude of Nurses towards Ionizing Radiation during Radiography in Jeddah City.
The Egyptian Journal Of Hospital Medicine 2017,
Vol.69 (7); 2906-2909.
Al-Mallah A et al (2017) Awareness And Knowledge Of Ionizing Radiation Risks Between Prescribed And Self-Presenting Patients For Common Diagnostic Radiological Procedures In Bahrain.
Oman Med J.
2017 Vol.32(5); 371–377....