Perceived Adequacy in Composite Materials, Practice, and Efficiency in Radiation Shielding among Radiologic Technologists in Selected Hospitals in Bulacan

Abstract

Radiation shielding is essential in protecting both patients and healthcare workers from unnecessary radiation exposure. Traditional lead-based materials, despite their proven efficacy in radiation shielding showed several disadvantages including heavy weight, toxicity, limited flexibility, and environmental hazards. In recent years, composite materials have emerged as alternatives to conventional shielding due to their lightweight properties, flexibility, and potential effectiveness in radiation attenuation (Gilys et al., 2022). With the introduction of composite materials as alternatives to traditional shielding these disadvantages were resolved. Due to its importance, it was necessary to understand how these materials are perceived and incorporated into practice and how efficient they are in clinical settings. This study explored the relationships among the perceived adequacy of composite materials, practices, and the efficiency of radiation shielding among radiologic technologists in selected hospitals in Bulacan. Recognizing the emergence of composite materials as alternatives to conventional shielding and the potential impact of their perception on practice and efficiency, this study aimed to provide practical recommendations for healthcare organizations. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected via a self-developed questionnaire and disseminated via Google Forms to 60 radiologic technologists in Bulacan using a stratified random sampling technique. Findings indicated that the respondents perceived composite materials as very adequate. The respondents fully practiced radiation shielding, especially during handling and maintenance, and were very efficient in radiation shielding. Statistical analysis revealed that perceived adequacy of composite materials had no significant influence on respondents’ shielding practices and the level of radiation shielding efficiency. On the other hand, storage and maintenance practices showed significant relationships with the efficiency in shielding consistency (r=0.627 and r=0.694) and the efficiency in application (r=0.379 and r=0.431). These results underscore that proper operational practices play a more critical role in the efficiency of using radiation shielding than material perception alone. The study concludes with recommendations for chief radiologic technologists and hospital administrators to develop protocols for the proper handling and storage of radiation shields and to support training opportunities for radiologic technologists in the use and maintenance of composite material shields.