N . Shubayr : Radioprotection 2024 , 59 ( 2 ), 138 – 143 141 Table 2 . Health belief model constructs and RPE utilization .
HBM constructs No of items Min Max Mean ( SD )
RPE utilization Mean ( SD ) p-value *
Fully committed Not fully committed
Perceived susceptibility |
6 |
1 |
5 |
2.89 ( 0.83 ) |
2.94 ( 0.77 ) |
2.79 ( 0.93 ) |
0.446 |
Perceived severity |
7 |
1 |
5 |
2.77 ( 0.96 ) |
2.88 ( 0.90 ) |
2.39 ( 0.99 ) |
0.03 |
Perceived benefits |
4 |
1 |
5 |
3.35 ( 0.85 ) |
3.61 ( 0.79 ) |
2.88 ( 0.77 ) |
< 0.001 |
Perceived barriers |
7 |
1 |
5 |
2.65 ( 1.01 ) |
2.88 ( 0.95 ) |
2.25 ( 1.04 ) |
0.004 |
Cues to action |
9 |
1 |
5 |
2.86 ( 0.89 ) |
3.04 ( 0.76 ) |
2.54 ( 1.00 ) |
0.036 |
Self-efficacy |
6 |
1 |
5 |
3.06 ( 0.95 ) |
3.3 ( 0.83 ) |
2.65 ( 1.03 ) |
0.005 |
Table 3 . Factors influencing utilization of radiation protective equipment in a multivariate logistic regression analysis .
95 % Confidence interval Predictor p-value Adjusted odds ratio Lower Upper
Gender : Female � Male |
0.877 |
0.86 |
0.14 |
5.47 |
Age groups ( years ): 30 – 39 � 20 – 29 |
0.137 |
4.39 |
0.62 |
30.91 |
40 – 49 � 20 – 29 |
0.175 |
4.72 |
0.5 |
44.51 |
≥ 50 � 20 – 29 |
0.939 |
1.16 |
0.03 |
52.44 |
Marital status : Married � Single |
0.964 |
1.05 |
0.14 |
8.04 |
Education level : Bachelor � Diploma |
0.245 |
2.96 |
0.47 |
18.49 |
Type of hospital : Private � Public |
0.047 |
0.09 |
0.01 |
0.97 |
Years of experience : 10 – 19 � 1 – 9 |
0.654 |
1.45 |
0.29 |
7.22 |
≥20 � 1 – 9 |
0.512 |
3.12 |
0.1 |
92.83 |
HMB covariates Perceived susceptibility |
0.246 |
1.95 |
0.63 |
6.01 |
Perceived severity |
0.946 |
1.05 |
0.26 |
4.22 |
Perceived benefits |
0.009 |
0.20 |
0.06 |
0.67 |
Perceived barriers |
0.289 |
0.56 |
0.19 |
1.65 |
Cues to action |
0.399 |
1.74 |
0.48 |
6.28 |
Self-efficacy |
0.053 |
0.37 |
0.13 |
1.01 |
technologists can be influenced by various factors . Firstly , the familiarity of radiologic technologists with their work environment and frequent exposure to radiation can lead to a sense of desensitization and a perception that the risks are minimal or less serious than they actually are ( Hyun et al ., 2016 ). Secondly , the lack of immediate effects from radiation exposure , as opposed to immediate and visible harm caused by other hazards , can make it challenging for radiologic technologists to recognize the immediate seriousness of radiation exposure ( Makkawi et al ., 2021b ; Alasmari et al ., 2021 ; Makkawi et al ., 2021a ; De Giorgi et al ., 2023 ). Additionally , reliance on safety measures , such as engineering controls and monitoring devices , may create a perception that the risk is adequately managed , leading to a lower perceived susceptibility ( Bertho et al ., 2023 ). Trust in regulatory bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ), Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ) and the local regulatory agency , and their guidelines can further contribute to the perception that the risk is effectively controlled . Lastly , as reported in previous studies , some radiologic technologists may have limited knowledge or awareness about the potential health effects of radiation exposure , which can result in a lower perceived susceptibility and seriousness ( Mohd Ridzwan et al ., 2021 ; Antunes-Raposo et al ., 2022 ).
The study compares the mean scores of the HBM constructs between two groups of radiologic technologists : those who always use RPE and those who are not fully