Higher levels of radiation protection knowledge were significantly associated with more positive attitudes toward radiation safety among health care workers, according to a cross-sectional study.
The investigation demonstrated a statistically significant positive correlation between radiation protection knowledge and attitude. Simple linear regression analysis confirmed that knowledge significantly predicted attitude and explained 22% of the variance in radiation attitude scores. These results highlight that increased knowledge regarding radiation protection corresponds with stronger adherence to radiation safety behaviors in clinical settings.
“In this context, it has been observed that as the radiation protection knowledge of health care professionals increases, their attitudes and behaviors towards radiation safety are also positively affected,” wrote Ali Göde, of the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Vocational School of Health Services in Hatay, Turkey, with colleagues.
The study, published in BMC Health Services Research, included 309 healthcare professionals—11.3% physicians, 60.8% nurses, and 27.8% support staff—surveyed between April and May 2024 using a quantitative design. Data were collected through a Personal Information Form, the Radiation Protection Knowledge Scale, and the Radiation Attitude Scale, both of which showed high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.974 and 0.922, respectively). Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26, including independent-sample t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression to examine associations between knowledge and attitude.
The mean radiation protection knowledge score was 6.35 ± 2.09 on a 10-point scale, while the mean radiation attitude score was 4.14 ± 0.63 on a 5-point scale. Data met assumptions of normality (Skewness and Kurtosis between –1.5 and +1.5). No significant differences in protection knowledge or attitude were found by age, sex, marital status, educational level, or years of experience. However, occupational group differences were statistically significant: support staff exhibited lower knowledge levels than physicians and nurses. The researchers noted that support staff specifically could benefit from targeted intervention.
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
Source: BMC Health Services Research
