Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices about radiation protection and safety among radiology and operating room personnel

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of radiology and operating room personnel regarding radiation protection and safety. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the KAP of Yemeni staff members in radiology departments and operating rooms representing various public and private institutions throughout Yemeni cities, the data collection was carried out via a Google form-based questionnaire disseminated to 315 individuals. A total of 256 valid responses were received with response rate of 81.27%. Results: The results indicated inadequate knowledge with an overall mean score of (3.547/10). On the other hand, the respondents had positive attitudes (3.895/5), and moderate adherence to practice (3.406/5) toward radiation protection and safety. There were no significant differences in knowledge and practices scores by sex, however, while the attitude dimension score exhibited statistically significant differences (U = 6878, P<0.05). Additionally, significant differences were observed between the occupations (H = 28.949, P<0.05) and education levels of the respondents (H = 11.137, P<0.05). Furthermore, the findings highlighted the positive impact of educational interventions (radiation safety training/lectures) on the total knowledge, attitude and practice scores (all P<0.05) regarding radiation protection. The respondents' attitudes score correlated moderately with their practice compliance score connected to radiation protection (r = 0.48, P<0.05). Moreover, the respondents addressed the shortage of radiation protection equipment (66.02%), and policies/management support (64.45%), as the most common barriers that limit their compliance with radiation protection and safety practices. In addition, they recommended providing sufficient resources (81.25%), establishing a radiation safety culture (76.95%), and providing periodic training programs to improve radiation protection practices (69.92%). These outcomes emphasize the necessity of specific educational intervention and organizational dedication to enhance radiation safety culture in Yemen. Conclusion: The findings highlight the critical need for effective management support, sustained institutional commitment, and targeted educational actions at the university level and through ongoing training to improve radiation protection awareness and behaviours among healthcare workers in medical radiation environments.