Abstract: To understand the knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) status and influencing factors of radiation protection among differentiated thyroid cancer patients treated with ¹³¹I, a self-designed questionnaire on KAP of radiation protection was used to investigate 330 thyroid cancer patients treated with ¹³¹I in the Nuclear medicine department of a third-grade class-A hospital from March 2018 to June 2018. The mean percentage scores of knowledge, attitude and practice were 58±17.88, 90.28±7.48 and 72.13±7.83 respectively. And knowledge, attitude and behavior were positively correlated. The educational background was the independent factor affecting the level of knowledge about radiation protection. The radiation protection attitude of thyroid cancer patients treated with ¹³¹I was positive, but the knowledge and practice was inadequate. We should pay attention to the guidance of radiation protection measures to the patients after discharged and to the patients with less education.

Key words: differentiated thyroid cancer, ¹³¹I, radiation protection, knowledge-attitude-practice