Department of Global Health, Medicine and Welfare, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
BMC Public Health. 2021 Dec 8;21(1):2235. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-12349-5.
The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics and awareness of the need for protection against ionizing radiation, such as sheltering, evacuation, and implementing stable iodine prophylaxis, of guardians parenting young children living in an urgent protective action planning zone (UPZ) of an operating nuclear power plant in Japan.
Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to approximately 3000 guardians through 26 kindergartens located within a UPZ. Responses were obtained from 1172 who lived in the UPZ and were included in the analysis.
Of the 1172 guardians, 460 (39.2%) responded that sheltering is not useful to reduce the dose of radiation exposure. On the other hand, 395 (33.7%) guardians responded that implementing stable iodine (SI) prophylaxis could prevent exposure from all radionuclides, and 876 (74.7%) responded that pregnant women should also implement SI prophylaxis in a nuclear emergency. Furthermore, 83.0% (973) responded that they wanted to receive pre-distribution of stable iodine (PDSI) for their children. On the other hand, 38.9% (456) of guardians had not known about SI before the study, and 71.8% (841) of guardians felt anxious about implementing SI prophylaxis for their children.
Most guardians had expectations regarding SI and received PDSI, but they felt anxious about implementing SI prophylaxis for their children. It is essential that guardians living in the UPZ of restarted nuclear power plants be educated, and that risk communication about protection against ionizing radiation, including the side effects of implementing SI prophylaxis and radiation health effects, be conducted.
本研究旨在阐明居住在日本运行核电厂应急防护行动规划区（UPZ）内的育儿监护人对核防护措施（如掩蔽、撤离和实施稳定碘防护）的特点和防护意识的认知情况。
通过 26 所位于 UPZ 内的幼儿园向大约 3000 名监护人发放了自填式问卷。收到了居住在 UPZ 内的 1172 名监护人的回复，并对其进行了分析。
在 1172 名监护人中，460 名（39.2%）认为掩蔽对于降低辐射照射剂量没有作用。另一方面，395 名（33.7%）监护人认为实施稳定碘（SI）防护可以预防所有放射性核素的暴露，876 名（74.7%）监护人认为在核紧急情况下孕妇也应实施 SI 防护。此外，83.0%（973 名）监护人表示希望为其子女预分发稳定碘（PDSI）。另一方面，38.9%（456 名）监护人在研究之前不知道 SI，71.8%（841 名）监护人对为其子女实施 SI 防护感到焦虑。
大多数监护人对 SI 有期望并接受了 PDSI，但他们对为子女实施 SI 防护感到焦虑。对于居住在重启核电厂 UPZ 内的监护人，有必要对其进行教育，并开展有关电离辐射防护的风险沟通，包括实施 SI 防护的副作用和辐射对健康的影响。
