Radiation risk perception for pregnant patients v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Lost in Translation? Gaining insight into the risk perception of pregnant patients undergoing imaging with ionising radiation.
IRAS ID
275000
Contact name
Mark Gannon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
The utilisation of ionizing radiation within medical imaging is a broad, complex and frequently misunderstood topic.
A growing body of work posits that there is a substantial gap between patient expectations and current practices for providing risk information pertaining to ionizing radiation medical imaging (Thornton, 2015).
So as to determine an effective methodology for communication of risk it is vital to first gain an appreciation for current knowledge and perceptions which exist about ionizing radiation. It is also important to have an understanding of how this information is framed and delivered to patients as well as how well received and understood this information is.
Of particular interest for this project is the case for utilisation of ionising radiation for medical imaging during gestation and the associated risk communication that accompanies this.
Exposure to ionizing radiation can be a source of anxiety for many pregnant women and their health care providers despite the reality that the risks to the developing fetus are quite small (Health Protection Agency,2009).This work will explore the processes associated with risk perception experience in a cohort of women who have previously had medical imaging utilising ionisation radiation during gestation with the aim of bridging the current knowledge gap within UK practice. This study is intended to utilise grounded theory approaches to develop a theory concerning risk perception experience in the pregnant female so as to contribute to the development of communication styles to enlighten policy making and remove the burden of undue stress to the patient.
Data will be collected through unstructured interviews with participants who have previously attended for medical imaging utilisng ionsing radiation at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
The findings of the research will be written up as part of a professional doctorate in clinical science.
REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
20/WA/0183
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jul 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion