Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception Regarding Radiation Hazards and Protection among Saudi Arabia’s General Population

Ionizing radiation is an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool in medicine, but it can also be harmful to patients and healthcare providers if it is used excessively or without taking safety measures under consideration. This study evaluates Saudi Arabia’s general population’s knowledge, awareness, and perception of radiation hazards and protection. A self-report online questionnaire in Arabic was conducted among Saudi Arabian public citizens who met our criteria while reserving participants’ privacy and obtaining consent. The data was entered into the computer using the “Microsoft Office Excel software” (2016) for Windows. Then, the data analysis was conducted through Statistical Package of Social Science Software (SPSS) software version 20. The study included 1074 participants. There were more female participants (62.3%) than male participants (37.7%). Participants’ knowledge scores of radiological imaging background were found as only 9.2% had good knowledge, 48.6% had moderate knowledge, and 42.2% had poor knowledge. As for radiation risks, 26.3% had good knowledge, 45.5% had moderate knowledge, and 28.2% had poor knowledge. Participants’ knowledge about protective measures of radiation was reported as 24.1% had good perception, 49.2% had neutral perception, and 26.7% had poor perception. In conclusion, knowledge, attitude, and perception regarding radiation hazards and protection are inadequate among the Saudi general population. The general population needs to be well-informed, proactive, and accurately understand the risks associated with radiation to protect themselves and others from potential harm effectively. By promoting education and awareness on this topic, we can work towards creating a safer and healthier environment for all.