Next Article in Journal
Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety Management: Implications for Corporate Performance in the Secondary Sector
Previous Article in Journal
Experimental Testbed for Nondestructive Analysis of Curtain Airbags in Child Safety Applications
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Safety
Volume 11
Issue 2
10.3390/safety11020043
safety-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Verification of the Effectiveness of Risk Communication Materials Using Natural Radiation Levels as a Reference Standard: Results from a Survey of First-Year Health Department Students

by
Hiromi Kudo
1,2,*,
Masahiro Hosoda
1,2,
Yasutaka Omori
2,
Kazutaka Tanaka
2,
Minoru Osanai
1,
Takashi Ohba
3,4,
Isamu Amir
4,
Masaharu Tsubokura
4 and
Shinji Tokonami
2
1
Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki 036-8564, Japan
2
Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki 036-8564, Japan
3
Department of Radiological Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Health Sciences, Fukushima 960-8516, Japan
4
Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Safety 2025, 11(2), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety11020043
Submission received: 11 December 2024 / Revised: 24 March 2025 / Accepted: 29 April 2025 / Published: 9 May 2025
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Even before the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, people were continuously exposed to various naturally occurring radioactive materials, including radon. However, public awareness and understanding of this exposure remain limited. When communicating the risks of radiation exposure from the Fukushima accident, explanatory materials have not typically incorporated data from coastal areas of Fukushima Prefecture collected after the incident to clarify the actual levels of artificial and natural radiation exposure. This study aimed to assess whether presenting radiation dose data from coastal areas of Fukushima Prefecture—using natural radiation as a reference point—could influence risk perception regarding the health effects of radiation exposure and its potential impact on future generations. The study focused on students enrolled in health science-related departments at Hirosaki University. Before being presented with the data, the students had limited understanding of radiation. However, after reviewing the explanatory materials, 89 students (48.4%) demonstrated an improved understanding of its potential impact on future generations, while 87 students (47.3%) showed increased awareness of the effects on their own health. Regarding the reduction in risk perception, many students attributed it to the fact that radiation levels 10 years after the Fukushima nuclear accident were not significantly different from natural background radiation in most areas. These findings suggest that providing actual radiation measurement data from affected areas can significantly influence risk perception and decision-making processes. The results indicate that participants became more aware of the presence of natural background radiation, and the comparison with current radiation levels in Fukushima played a key role in shaping their risk perception.
Keywords: nuclear disaster; radiation exposure; risk communication; background radiation; health risk; hereditary risk nuclear disaster; radiation exposure; risk communication; background radiation; health risk; hereditary risk

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Kudo, H.; Hosoda, M.; Omori, Y.; Tanaka, K.; Osanai, M.; Ohba, T.; Amir, I.; Tsubokura, M.; Tokonami, S. Verification of the Effectiveness of Risk Communication Materials Using Natural Radiation Levels as a Reference Standard: Results from a Survey of First-Year Health Department Students. Safety 2025, 11, 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety11020043

AMA Style

Kudo H, Hosoda M, Omori Y, Tanaka K, Osanai M, Ohba T, Amir I, Tsubokura M, Tokonami S. Verification of the Effectiveness of Risk Communication Materials Using Natural Radiation Levels as a Reference Standard: Results from a Survey of First-Year Health Department Students. Safety. 2025; 11(2):43. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety11020043

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kudo, Hiromi, Masahiro Hosoda, Yasutaka Omori, Kazutaka Tanaka, Minoru Osanai, Takashi Ohba, Isamu Amir, Masaharu Tsubokura, and Shinji Tokonami. 2025. "Verification of the Effectiveness of Risk Communication Materials Using Natural Radiation Levels as a Reference Standard: Results from a Survey of First-Year Health Department Students" Safety 11, no. 2: 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety11020043

APA Style

Kudo, H., Hosoda, M., Omori, Y., Tanaka, K., Osanai, M., Ohba, T., Amir, I., Tsubokura, M., & Tokonami, S. (2025). Verification of the Effectiveness of Risk Communication Materials Using Natural Radiation Levels as a Reference Standard: Results from a Survey of First-Year Health Department Students. Safety, 11(2), 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/safety11020043

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop