Midland University Hospital Tullamore, Radiology Department Co., Offaly, Ireland.
Harare Institute of Technology, Department of Radiography, Belvedere, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Radiography (Lond). 2024 Jun;30 Suppl 1:35-42. doi: 10.1016/j.radi.2024.05.010. Epub 2024 Jun 13.
Evidence suggests that radiography activities have a significant impact on the environment. With growing awareness of the negative environmental consequences of radiography services, there is an increasing call for radiographers to adopt sustainable practices. However, little is known about the levels of awareness, current practices, and challenges faced by radiographers working in low-resource settings on this subject. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the awareness, practices, and challenges among Zimbabwean and Zambian radiographers about environmental sustainability in radiography.
An exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was used in this study. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 19 purposively sampled participants (N = 8 and N = 11) in Zimbabwe and Zambia, respectively. The audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis six-phase framework.
Following thematic data analysis three main themes emerged: awareness of the concept of sustainability among radiographers, sustainability practices in radiography, and challenges of implementing sustainability in radiography. The study found that some radiology departments continue to rely on film-screen imaging systems due to insufficient financial resources to transition to digital imaging systems. Consequently, this constraint emerged as the central obstacle thwarting the implementation of sustainable practices in radiography.
Most radiographers understood the concept of sustainability in radiography; however, they were concerned about the negative impact of radiography practices on the environment and wanted more training and financial support to mitigate this impact.
Environmental sustainability should be integrated into the radiography curriculum and provision of continuing professional development (CPD) to impart radiographers with knowledge and the best practices. Periodical audits should be conducted to monitor sustainable practices and reward deserving radiology departments.
有证据表明，放射学活动对环境有重大影响。随着人们对放射科服务对环境的负面影响的认识不断提高，越来越呼吁放射技师采用可持续的做法。然而，对于在资源匮乏环境中工作的放射技师在这一主题上的意识水平、当前做法和面临的挑战知之甚少。因此，本研究旨在探讨津巴布韦和赞比亚放射技师对放射科环境可持续性的意识、实践和挑战。
本研究采用探索性描述性定性研究设计。在津巴布韦和赞比亚分别进行了两次焦点小组讨论（FGD），共有 19 名精心挑选的参与者（N=8 和 N=11）参加。对录音进行逐字转录，并使用 Braun 和 Clarke 的主题分析六阶段框架进行分析。
经过主题数据分析，出现了三个主要主题：放射技师对可持续性概念的认识、放射科的可持续性实践以及在放射科实施可持续性的挑战。研究发现，由于缺乏过渡到数字成像系统的财政资源，一些放射科部门继续依赖胶片-屏幕成像系统。因此，这一限制成为阻碍放射科可持续实践实施的核心障碍。
大多数放射技师理解放射科的可持续性概念；然而，他们对放射科实践对环境的负面影响感到担忧，并希望获得更多的培训和财政支持，以减轻这种影响。
环境可持续性应纳入放射科课程和继续专业发展（CPD）的提供中，以使放射技师具备知识和最佳实践。应定期进行审计，以监测可持续实践并奖励表现出色的放射科部门。
