TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainability in radiography
T2 - Knowledge, practices, and barriers among radiographers in Zimbabwe and Zambia
AU - Chinene, Bornface
AU - Mudadi, Leon say
AU - Bwanga, Osward
AU - Nyawani, Paridzai
AU - Mutandiro, Lavin
AU - Kafwimbi, Stefan
AU - Matika, Waneta
AU - Ohene-Botwe, Benard
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024
PY - 2024/9
Y1 - 2024/9
N2 - Introduction: As the global demand for radiography services increases, departments need to be aware of the environmental impact of their practices and strive to reduce their carbon footprint. However, sustainability in radiography, particularly in low-resource settings, remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, practices, and barriers to sustainability in radiography practice among radiographers in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study involving 216 consecutively sampled radiographers who completed an online questionnaire was conducted. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis. Results: Overall, 81.49 % of the radiographers had some familiarity with the concept of sustainability. The radiography educational curriculum was singled out as lacking sufficient content on sustainability (44.44 %). More than half of the radiographers reported the absence of deliberate sustainable practices in place in their respective departments (Zambia 51.02 %, Zimbabwe 54.69 %). The top reported barriers to sustainability include; a lack of priority for sustainability from leadership and organization (73.61 %), a lack of incentives for sustainability (75.46 %), and a lack of partnerships between suppliers and consumers on ways to improve diagnosis, patient safety and sustainability (82.4 %). Conclusion: This study offers valuable insights into the current state of sustainability in radiography in Zambia and Zimbabwe, highlighting the need for academic reforms, intentional departmental practices, and systemic changes to drive sustainable efforts in the field. Future research should aim to enhance the sustainability of radiographic examinations and procedures, thereby advancing the core practice of radiographers.
AB - Introduction: As the global demand for radiography services increases, departments need to be aware of the environmental impact of their practices and strive to reduce their carbon footprint. However, sustainability in radiography, particularly in low-resource settings, remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, practices, and barriers to sustainability in radiography practice among radiographers in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study involving 216 consecutively sampled radiographers who completed an online questionnaire was conducted. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis. Results: Overall, 81.49 % of the radiographers had some familiarity with the concept of sustainability. The radiography educational curriculum was singled out as lacking sufficient content on sustainability (44.44 %). More than half of the radiographers reported the absence of deliberate sustainable practices in place in their respective departments (Zambia 51.02 %, Zimbabwe 54.69 %). The top reported barriers to sustainability include; a lack of priority for sustainability from leadership and organization (73.61 %), a lack of incentives for sustainability (75.46 %), and a lack of partnerships between suppliers and consumers on ways to improve diagnosis, patient safety and sustainability (82.4 %). Conclusion: This study offers valuable insights into the current state of sustainability in radiography in Zambia and Zimbabwe, highlighting the need for academic reforms, intentional departmental practices, and systemic changes to drive sustainable efforts in the field. Future research should aim to enhance the sustainability of radiographic examinations and procedures, thereby advancing the core practice of radiographers.
KW - Barriers
KW - Knowledge
KW - Low-resource settings
KW - Practices
KW - Radiography
KW - Sustainability
KW - Zambia
KW - Zimbabwe
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85195575644&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101438
DO - 10.1016/j.jmir.2024.101438
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85195575644
SN - 1939-8654
VL - 55
JO - Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences
JF - Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences
IS - 3
M1 - 101438
ER -