RESUMEN

AIM: This study aims to evaluate the awareness and knowledge of ionizing radiation in common radiological investigations, as well as the associated risks, among medical and applied medical sciences students at Majmaah University in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 209 participants who completed an anonymous electronic questionnaire consisting of 21 questions. Participants were categorized based on demographic characteristics and assessed for their awareness and knowledge of radiation and its associated risks. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Qualitative data comparisons were performed using the Chi-square test, with a p-value of <0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 209 participants completed the questionnaire, with a nearly equal distribution of males (49.8%) and females (50.2%). Most of the participants were medical students (59.3%). The overall knowledge score had a mean of 2 (SD=2) and a range of 0-7. The overall awareness score had a mean of 3 (SD=2) and a range of 0-6. Male gender and knowledge had a significant association (p=0.022). Applied medical sciences students had a significantly higher awareness level than medical students (p=0.004). There was a significant association between academic level and knowledge level (p=0.025), which was highest among third-year students. CONCLUSION:  Overall medical and applied medical sciences students' knowledge and awareness of ionizing radiation dose and the health risks associated with it was reported to be low. The results highlight the need to train medical and applied medical sciences students with sufficient radiological education that enable them to adhere to safe practices in the future.