title: Radiation risks knowledge in resident and fellow in paediatrics: a questionnaire survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Analyse through a multi-choice anonymous questionnaire the knowledge's level in paediatric residents and fellows in two different main Italian hospital, looking mainly to the information to patients and relatives related to risks of ionizing radiation used in common radiological investigations in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  65 multi choice questionnaires were distributed to paediatric residents and fellows of two different hospitals, an University Hospital (A.O.U.P. "P. Giaccone"- University of Palermo) and a national reference centre for paediatrics (Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù - Rome). The questionnaire included twelve multiple-choice questions with the aim of analyzing the knowledge about ionizing radiation related risks in infants and children who undergo common diagnostic radiology investigations. The data obtained were processed using software Stata/MP version 11.2. In order to measure the level of expertise of each interviewee a binary indicator was built. The value 1 was assigned if the percentage of correct answers exceeds the median of the distribution and 0 for values not exceeding the median. The association between the level of competence and demographic characteristics (gender, age) and training experience was measured by means of α(2) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  51/65 questionnaires were completed, returned and analysed (87.7%). Only 18 surveyed (35%), (95% IC = [22%-48%]) can be defined as competent in radiation risk knowledge for common radiological investigations, considering the percentage of correct answers at least of 50% (sufficient knowledge was given with a minimum score of 8 correct answers out of 12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrates an urgent need to implement the radiation protection knowledge in the training programme of paediatricians, that improve if just a short targeted training is performed.
authors.affiliation: Section of Radiological Sciences, DIBIMEF, University Hospital Policlinico, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy. sergio.salerno@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.affiliation: Section of Radiological Sciences, DIBIMEF, University Hospital Policlinico, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy. paolamar84@alice.it.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchese
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy. andrea.magistrelli@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Magistrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy. paolo.toma@opbg.net.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomà
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences and for the Promotion of Maternal and Child Health G. D'Alessandro University Hospital Policlinico, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. domenica.matranga@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Domenica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Matranga
authors.affiliation: Section of Radiological Sciences, DIBIMEF, University Hospital Policlinico, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy. massimo.midiri@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Medicine, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy. agugazio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alberto G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ugazio
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences and for the Promotion of Maternal and Child Health G. D'Alessandro University Hospital Policlinico, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. giocors@alice.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corsello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011835:Radiation Protection; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires