Assessing the awareness of the Madinah Munawarah medical staff and students about the risk of radiation: are we safe?

The exposure of patients to radiation has been discussed for a long time in medical studies. The exposures are due to multiple factors and can result in the development of cancer. This study aims to assess and determine the level of knowledge and awareness of the risk of radiation among the medical staff and students in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Medical staff and students (n = 405) from different colleges affiliated with Taibah University, completed a questionnaire. The participants responded to the radiation risks related to the different radiation doses and imaging modalities. The medical staff was aware of the risks of ionizing radiation. The average natural background radiation in mSv according to both the medical staff and students was 20-30 mSv. An insignificant difference exists between the information and the awareness levels of both the male and female participants (P = 0.061). An insignificant difference exists between the risks of radiation and the population at risk (P = 0.188). The participants were of the view that the parents of pediatric patients should be given appropriate education about radiation risks (P = 0.035). The medical students at Taibah University had insufficient and poor knowledge about the risks associated with radiation doses, risks which need urgent attention for pediatric and pregnant patients. The findings can be included as a preamble for designing awareness campaigns and a curriculum for the medical staff.