Radiation Safety in Public Health Radiology Interventions among Children and Adolescents in Armed Conflict Settings and the Need for Implementation Research: A Proposed Strategy

Abstract

Background: Several radiation safety guidelines, standards, and checklists have been developed by relevant agencies such as the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the International Radiation Protection Association, the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority for the use of radiation in public health intervention and also for public engagement including children and adolescents. However, their uptake has been limited despite the growing importance of radiation in public health. Hence, the need for this study.

Materials and Methods: an implementation research approach is proposed in this study to unravel the reason why existing, proven effective, and result-oriented radiation safety guidelines are not effectively utilized to enhance the radiation safety of children and adolescents in armed conflict settings. An implementation problem was identified, and implementation approaches and sustainability plans were advanced. This work is extracted from a proposal developed and submitted to the WHO/TDR as part of the requirements for certification in Implementation Research for Infectious Diseases of Poverty by the TDR/WHO Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in March, 2020.

Results: shreds of evidence from literature and anecdotal evidence show that despite the availability of radiation safety guides, their uptake and use for radiation safety of children and adolescents in armed conflict settings remain limited due to poor awareness. Hence, there is a need for implementation research. A multifaceted implementation research approach is proposed; combining, several strategies such as training, consultation, audit, and feedback with components of the Information Education Communication (IEC) approach.

Conclusion: A multifaceted implementation strategy alongside a sustainability plan has been proposed in this study. This approach will enhance the radiation safety of public health interventions among children and adolescents in armed conflict settings.