Hossein Nadri, Marziyeh Tahmasbi
Emergency department clinicians showed room for improvement in radiation-related knowledge and reported imaging referral practices. No significant associations among objective knowledge, self-perceived knowledge, and referral-practice scores were demonstrated in this sample. Clinically integrated, longitudinal radiation safety education may support imaging justification, referral decision-making, risk communication, and patient safety.
INTRODUCTION: Emergency department clinicians often request imaging under time pressure, making radiation dose knowledge important for appropriate imaging referral and justification. This study evaluated radiation dose knowledge, self-perceived knowledge, educational background, and radiation protection-related imaging referral practices among emergency clinicians.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, medical interns, residents, general practitioners, and specialist physicians completed a structured questionnaire assessing radiation-related education, self-perceived knowledge, objective knowledge of radiation dose and related health risks, and radiation protection-related imaging referral practices. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests and Spearman's rank correlation in SPSS version 25. Bonferroni-adjusted significance thresholds were applied to subgroup comparisons and correlations.
RESULTS: Among 90 participants, 27.8% had received formal radiation-related education. Mean scores were 3.29 ± 1.27 for self-perceived knowledge (range, 2-10), 5.70 ± 2.05 for objective knowledge (range, 0-11), and 8.59 ± 2.24 for referral practice (range, 3-15). Objective knowledge was not significantly correlated with referral practice (ρ = -0.095, p = 0.375), and self-perceived knowledge was not significantly correlated with referral practice (ρ = 0.126, p = 0.238) or objective knowledge (ρ = 0.025, p = 0.812). Objective knowledge differed across employment-status categories (p != 0.007) and remained significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons.
CONCLUSION: Emergency department clinicians showed room for improvement in radiation-related knowledge and reported imaging referral practices. No significant associations among objective knowledge, self-perceived knowledge, and referral-practice scores were demonstrated in this sample. Clinically integrated, longitudinal radiation safety education may support imaging justification, referral decision-making, risk communication, and patient safety.