LAUSR

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to assess the understanding of potential risks associated with medical imaging among caregivers and adolescent patients in a paediatric emergency department (PED) in Singapore. METHODS A prospective convenience sample survey was performed of adolescents and caregivers presenting to our PED from December 2015 to May 2016. The questionnaire examined demographic data, knowledge of imaging procedures and radiation risks, and expectations regarding information provided about medical radiation. RESULTS 349 questionnaires were returned (caregivers 82.5%, adolescents 17.5%). The mean number of correctly answered questions was 6.2 ± 2.4 (out of 11). Those who had tertiary education fared better than those who did not (36.4% vs. 17.2% scoring above the mean, p = 0.001). Age, gender, history of previous imaging and imaging done during the visit did not affect the score. Two-thirds of the participants did not associate medical radiation with any negative lifetime risk of cancers or know that different scans had differing amounts of radiation. Most were unaware that the radiation dose in medical imaging is adjusted to a child's size. Among patients who underwent imaging, 90.1% received explanations on the need for scans and 26.5% were told of the risks involved. Almost all participants wished to be informed of imaging indications and risks. More preferred to learn this from physicians (75.6%) or technicians (51.6%) rather than educational pamphlets (34.4%) or Internet resources (22.9%). CONCLUSION Medical radiation awareness needs to be improved in our patient population. There is a mismatch between caregiver expectations and the actual procedure of radiation risk disclosure.