Assessment of parental knowledge and attitude about the ill effects of radiation in children in the gurugram region of Haryana

Abstract

Purpose: In pediatric imaging, knowledge of the benefits and risks is important for parents so that they understand the information and use it to make choices for their children. If they do not have adequate knowledge about that, they may make choices that are not beneficial and may be harmful to their children. The aim of our study was to assess the parental knowledge and attitude about the ill effects of radiation in our region.

Material and Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 parents whose children presented to the radiology department for imaging procedures. A pre-designed questionnaire and individual interviews were used to ask parents about the information they possess about the use of radiation in medical imaging, its benefits, and risks.

Results: Most of the participants knew what radiation is and that it can be harmful to their children but did not know anything about the negative effects of radiation. 49 (61%) knew that children are at higher risk of harm from radiation than adults and only 28 (35%) were aware of the negative effects of radiation. Responses recorded an overall positive opinion of medical imaging.

Conclusions: Our findings show a poor level of knowledge and awareness among parents so it is difficult for them to make healthy choices for their children. The results of our study indicate that there are great benefits in communicating risks with parents. In addition, the level of comfort increases with the effective interaction between healthcare professionals and the parents.