| Abstract [eng] |
Currently in the developed world, about 80% of health problems have to be solved by a family physician. He/she has to divert patients to carry out a series of studies, consultations with other specialists, and get cured. One of major human sources of exposure in medicine is X-ray diagnostics. Therefore, in this investigation one has raised a question whether there is a sufficient level of knowledge of family physicians about patient’ X-ray diagnostic exposure and radiation protection, and if always X-ray diagnostics examination is allocated in a reasonable way? The object of the study is to identify and assess family physicians’ awareness about the exposure of X-ray exposed patients in the city of Vilnius. Methods. The object of the research: family physicians. The research was carried out in Vilnius, in the public health care institutions and private family clinics and family physicians’ offices. One conducted a questionnaire survey, which included 70 hospitals where 312 questionnaires were distributed. The statistical analysis was performed using version 17 of SPSS software and version 6.4 of WinPepi. An indicator distribution in absolute numbers and percentages was presented. Categorical data analysis used chi-square (χ2) and Fisher's exact test. Significance level α=0,05. Conclusion considered to be statistically significant when the confidence level of p<0.05. One conducted research analysis of articles, and analysis of health system of legal and normative substance. Results. 65.1 per cent of the respondents believe that they lack understanding of ionizing radiation and radiation safety. 32.7 per cent of respondents believe that only a certain number of X-ray diagnostic research can be carried out in one year. 35.3 per cent of respondents believe that the maximum radiation dose is received during a nuclear magnetic resonance study, and only 38.8 per cent of respondents are aware that the maximum radiation dose is received during CT. The results showed that family physicians are not sufficiently familiar with the radiation safety regulatory framework. Family physicians of younger age (up to 45 years old) are better informed about the exposure of patients during X-ray studies, ionizing radiation and radiation protection than older ones (from 46 years old). Conclusions. The knowledge level of most family physicians about the resulting X-ray exposure, ionizing radiation and radiation protection is inadequate, hence there is a need to organize more training and improvement courses for professionals of this field, as well as to integrate these issues into university degree programs. |
