Communicating Radiation Risk to Patients: Experiences Among Radiographers in Norway

Risk communication related to radiation has become more important during the last decade. Informing patients of benefits, risks, and alternative imaging methods is necessary to make informed decisions. The purpose of this study was to investigate radiographers' knowledge of radiation dose and risk, and their experiences with radiation risk communication.

This study used a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with clinical radiographers. The participants were presented with three authentic cases describing situations where risk communication is necessary. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed in four steps before the transcript interviews were coded and collected in meaningful themes. Participation was voluntary and participants signed an informed consent form.

Six radiographers from two hospitals took part in the study. The mean age was 34 years, their work experiences as radiographers varied from 3.5 to 30 years and with an equal number of women and men. The participants provided reflections on the cases, how they managed the patients' need for information, and how they dealt with concerned patients. They also reflected on the knowledge and skills needed to be confident with risk communication.

The participants were insecure of their knowledge of radiation dose and risk. They expressed difficulties with informing patients of radiation risk, without raising unnecessary concerns among the patients. When informing patients of the amount of radiation dose, they compared the dose in the examination to flights, background radiation, and the number of chest x-rays. The participants expressed challenges around radiation risk communication. All participants used the principle of justification in radiation risk communication.

This study shows that risk communication among radiographers is challenging, and the key challenge is the lack of knowledge of radiation doses and lack of experience in risk communication. There is a need for increased focus to and knowledge of radiation dose and risk, and radiation risk communication among radiographers working in clinical practice. This should be amplified in the education of radiographers, focusing on theoretical knowledge and skills such as reflection and critical thinking. This could cause radiographers to be confident and able to offer adequate information of doses and risks to the patients, so the patients can make an informed decision.