Parental Awareness - A Pivotal Factor For Preventable Exposure Of Children To High Energy Ionizing Radiations

Background: The increased use of high energy radiations for diagnostic purposes is linked to many benefits and oncological risks among children. Parents and clinicians are the ones who primarily decide the treatment regimen for the pediatric patients. Because of unawareness, the parents insist the clinicians order radio imaging leading to unnecessary exposure of children to high energy radiations. The study was conducted as there is a paucity of information regarding parental awareness on the exposure of children to high energy radiations. Aims: To find out the effect of parental awareness on the preventable exposure of children to high energy radiations. Settings and Design: This population-based cohort study was conducted on 208 parents of children who presented to the OP or ED for any medical reason in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Riyadh, KSA. Methods and Material: Tool by Kathy et al., 2013, with prior written permission to reproduce, was modified to suit the study population was used to assess the parental awareness about the post-exposure risk of radiation to children. Statistical analysis used: Data was analyzed using SPSS and relevant statistical tests were conducted. Results: Majority of the parents (> 90 percent) was unaware of the consequences of unnecessarily exposing their children to high energy radiations and unnecessarily insists for radiographs. A Large proportion of the parents were unwilling to go for radiological examinations if they were informed about the risks. Conclusions: Parent's awareness about the post-exposure risks significantly influences the decision for radio imaging.