Radiation protection measures of the radiological facilities in Kano metropolis, Nigeria

Introduction: The medical use of ionizing radiation contributes the largest amount of man-made radiation exposure and ranks second to natural background radiation. Adhering to the standard radiation protection measures minimizes radiation dose to patients, staff, and other public members. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate radiation protection measures in radiological facilities in the Kano metropolis, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Kano metropolis, Nigeria, between February 2021 and May 2021. A structured questionnaire was formulated. The measuring tool was validated by expert and experienced colleagues. The reliability of the measuring tool was tested using a pilot study, and Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was found to be 0.815. A total of 101 respondents were recruited. These were the radiographers working in the functional radiological facilities. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software version 23.0, and P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: X-ray room design was sufficient in the majority of radiological facilities 67 (66.7%). Insufficient availability of personnel protective devices in 47 (46.9%) respondents was observed. The majority, 24 (23.9%) of the respondents, indicated poor utilization of personnel protective devices. There was insufficient registration and records of radiation safety measures 26 (26.0%). Only 48 (47.5%) respondents indicated the availability of a QA committee in their facility. Fifty-two (51.5%) of the respondents reported that they have medical physicists/engineers available to provide support within their department, while only 25 (25.7%) had radiation safety officers in their facilities. There was a weak negative correlation between lead aprons and lead rubber gloves with the level of staff training, respectively (r = -0.254, P = 0.010; r = -0.214, P = 0.031). Conclusion: There was sufficient X-ray room design in the Kano metropolis. An insufficient availability of personal protective devices, poor utilization, registration, and records of radiation safety measures was observed. There were inadequate QA committee and QC test in the majority of the radiological facilities. A weak negative correlation was observed between the use of lead aprons and lead rubber gloves with the level of staff training.