Medical staff perceptions of risk communication needs for the public and comparison with the needs expressed by the public

Abstract

Risk communication programs about radiation exposure should be conducted continuously and rigorously by healthcare workers in the Tohoku region in order to reduce the stress caused by radiation exposure. This study aimed to compare the perception by medical staff of the public need to the public need as defined in a previous study, as well as examine the level of perception among healthcare workers of the two concepts “as low as reasonably achievable” (ALARA), and Regulatory Sciences. These two concepts were expected to be the ones to impart information regarding the effect of radiation on the human body during risk communication. The results showed differences between the public perception of risks and belief of what the public risk perception was by the medical staff. In addition, only 23.5% and 16.5% medical doctors had accurate perception of ALARA and Regulatory Sciences in Japan, respectively, even after the great East Japan Earthquake., ALARA and Regulatory Sciences should be added to healthcare workers’ education curriculums to enhance their knowledge level of these concepts. From the viewpoint of laypersons, public health awareness programs conducted by the local and central governments ranked fourth and fifth respectively as sources of information. One of the reasons was that, to some extent, the attitude of the central government seemed apt to be overbearing to laypersons. Therefore, we also believe that medical doctors are expected to be intermediaries between central/local governments and laypersons.