A study of the safety and security conditions followed in the X-ray clinics in the Al-Amiriya-Baghdad

Abstract

Radiation is a form of energy that can produce acute effects such as skin redness, hair loss, radiation burns, depending on radiation doses and radiation dose rates. Despite of all these risks from radiation, X-ray diagnostics is greatly increased by people especially, at the present time, after the appearance of the Corona virus (COVID 19), and it has been proven that one of the most important diagnostic tests for corona disease. So, in this research, we evaluated the extent of awareness, understanding and knowledge of radiation hazards through radiological examinations, by focusing on the healthcare personnel who use ionizing radiation as a part of their work (persons who's radiation-related occupations). So, the questionnaire was applied to staff working, technicians and any one that use radiation in his work for a different X-ray clinics in Al-Amiriya in Baghdad, to evaluate their awareness level and knowledge about the effect of ionizing radiation and the appropriate amount of radiation dose that resulting from radiological examinations. The results show that In spite of commitment of radiography clinics by safety and security procedures but, there is a problem for the people who run radiology clinics (they are not specialists). I.e. requires a person with knowledge of the effects of radiation, its risks and effects in addition to giving him the correct medical diagnosis which has a direct relationship with the patient's life. And the most X-ray device in the clinics are considered old and the defect of old devices compared with modern devices is that they give a high dose of radiation at examination of X-ray.