Assessment Of Awareness of Medical Litigation Among Radiographers in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Medical litigation is a growing concern in healthcare with radiographers playing a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Awareness of medical litigation is essential for radiographers to understand their professional responsibilities, adhere to standards of practice, and minimize the risk of adverse events.

Objective: The study assessed the awareness of medical litigation amongst practicing radiographers in South-Eastern Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of radiographers practicing in government owned hospitals was carried out between July and December 2024. A well-structured questionnaire was used for the collection of data. The questionnaire consisted of questions pertaining to awareness of medical litigation and measures to be put in place to prevent medical litigation. The questionnaire comprised of three sections: Section A was based on the socio-demographic information of the respondents. Section B was concerned with assessing the awareness of medical litigation among practicing radiographers while section C focused on measures taken to reduce the incidence of medical litigation among practicing radiographers. Data was analyzed using frequency, percentages and Spearman’s correlation.

Results: A total of 86 radiographers comprising 51 (59%) males and 35 (41%) females participated in the study. All the radiographers had a good awareness of medical litigation. There was no statistically significant correlation between gender and awareness (p=0.31). A statistically significant correlation existed between rank and awareness (p=0.002). The main measure recommended by the radiographers to be put in place to reduce litigation is explaining the examination procedure in plain language to the patients.

Conclusion: There is a need for the government to put up targeted strategies to enhance to enhance radiographers’ understanding of medical litigation, promote professional accountability, and improve patient safety.

Keywords:

Litigation, radiographers, medical, malpractice

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