Evaluation of the Knowledge and Awareness of Non-Ionizing Radiation among Final Year Students of College of Medical Science University of Maiduguri. (Published)
This study was aimed at evaluating the level of knowledge, types, and Potential hazards of non-ionizing radiation among final year students of college of medical science, University of Maiduguri. A prospective cross sectional survey study was conducted among final year students of college of medical sciences, for 6 months periods, March to August, 2014. A total of 335 structured 12 items self-completion questionnaires were randomly distributed to participants and 312 were filled out and returned, with a response rate of 93.1%. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, where mean, percentages and frequencies where computed There were about 184, (59%) male participants and 128, (41%) female participants in the study with age ranged from 21 to 45 years with mean age of 28years. Majority of the respondents were within the age group of 21-26 years with 171, (54.8%). The department of MBBS/BDS had 122 (39.1%), BMLS had 61 (19.6%), Radiography had 52 (6.7%), Nursing Science had 38 (12.2%), physiotherapy had 20 (6.4%) and Anatomy had 19 (6.1%) number of participants. Majority of respondent, 162 (51.9%) wrongly thought ultraviolet ray, microwaves, radio waves and Extremely Low Frequency radiation are types of ionizing radiation. While 108 (34.6%) knew they are types of non-ionizing radiation. About 153 (49%) wrongly believed that ultrasonography (USS) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses ionizing radiation for diagnosis, while 139, (44.6%) knew they do not use ionizing radiation, and 20 (6.4%) did not know. Majority of the respondents 247 (79.2%), knew that excessive exposure to non-ionizing radiation could be hazardous. This study found insufficient knowledge on non-ionizing radiation and their types among final year students of college of medical science, however, participants were seen to have appreciable knowledge on potential hazards of non-ionizing radiation.
Keywords: Final year, Ionizing radiation, Non ionizing radiation, Radiation, Student