La perception du risque des radiations ionisantes vu par le milieu hospitalier

Risk perception has been extensively studied by various "barometers", particularly in Belgium. However, risk perception of peole who are exposed professionally has been very seldom addressed in the literature. This work investigates risk perception and safety behaviour among the medical staff (doctors, nurses, technicians, hospital physicists) exposed to ionising radiation in several major hospitals in Belgium. A dedicated questionnaire was designed for this purpose and completed by 81 professionals. Statistical analyses were applied to analyse the data collected. The results show that: -Respondents have a good general knowledge of ionizing radiation. -The perception of risk of X-rays for hospital staff population is lower than the perception of the general population. -The risk of radiation explains one third of occupational risk perception. However, non-radiological risks typical for hospitals (biological, infectious) play an almost as important role in the overall perception of job-related risks. -There is a statistically significant link between stress and job satisfaction. -The higher is the general knowledge about ionizing radiation, the less are the risks of ionizing radiation perceived as high.