Seong Ki Moon, Kwon TaeWoo, Seo Songwon, Lee Dalnim, Park Sunhoo, Jin Young Woo, Lee Seung-Sook
Laboratory of Low Dose Risk Assessment, National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
Departments of Pathology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
PLoS One. 2017 Feb 6;12(2):e0171777. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171777. eCollection 2017.
Expert's risk evaluation of radiation exposure strongly influences the public's risk perception. Experts can inform laypersons of significant radiation information including health knowledge based on experimental data. However, some experts' radiation risk perception is often based on non-conclusive scientific evidence (i.e., radiation levels below 100 millisievert), which is currently under debate. Examining perception levels among experts is important for communication with the public since these individual's opinions have often exacerbated the public's confusion. We conducted a survey of Korean radiation researchers to investigate their perceptions of the risks associated with radiation exposure below 100 millisievert. A linear regression analysis revealed that having ≥ 11 years' research experience was a critical factor associated with radiation risk perception, which was inversely correlated with each other. Increased opportunities to understand radiation effects at < 100 millisievert could alter the public's risk perception of radiation exposure. In addition, radiation researchers conceived that more scientific evidence reducing the uncertainty for radiation effects < 100 millisievert is necessary for successful public communication. We concluded that sustained education addressing scientific findings is a critical attribute that will affect the risk perception of radiation exposure.
专家对辐射暴露的风险评估极大地影响着公众的风险认知。专家可以根据实验数据，向非专业人士提供包括健康知识在内的重要辐射信息。然而，一些专家的辐射风险认知往往基于尚无定论的科学证据（即辐射水平低于100毫西弗），目前这一证据仍存在争议。鉴于这些专家的观点常常加剧公众的困惑，考察专家的认知水平对于与公众沟通至关重要。我们对韩国辐射研究人员进行了一项调查，以探究他们对低于100毫西弗的辐射暴露相关风险的认知。线性回归分析表明，拥有≥11年的研究经验是与辐射风险认知相关的一个关键因素，二者呈负相关。增加了解低于100毫西弗辐射效应的机会可能会改变公众对辐射暴露的风险认知。此外，辐射研究人员认为，为成功开展公众沟通，需要更多减少低于100毫西弗辐射效应不确定性的科学证据。我们得出结论，持续开展关于科学发现的教育是影响辐射暴露风险认知的一个关键因素。
