The radiation protection behavior of medical workers: A scoping review protocol.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Radiation exposure in medical settings stands as the primary source of artificial radiation, compounded by the yearly rise in healthcare worker numbers. Ensuring radiation protection is crucial for safeguarding their occupational health. Nevertheless, existing studies on radiation protection behavior exhibit considerable heterogeneity due to various factors. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aims to explore the current status of research on radiation protection behavior and identify research gaps, intending to guide future research directions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The scoping review will follow the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. A systematic search will be conducted across English databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Medline, as well as Chinese databases such as CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and China Biomedical Literature Database. Two independent reviewers will screen the studies based on predefined eligibility criteria and extract the data. Any disagreements will be resolved through discussion by a third reviewer. The review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY A stakeholder consultation will provide an opportunity to validate the findings and address any potential gaps in the article. In this scoping review, all types of studies will be considered. The effectiveness of the methodological quality of the included studies will not be reported, which may lead to some studies of poor quality being included. Only studies published in English or Chinese after 2010 will be considered in this review, potentially leading to the omission of relevant papers.