Population's Radiation Anxiety Structure Analysis for the Pre-Covid-19 Period

Abstract

Introduction. A considerable amount of conflicting reports creates conditions for concern about the effects of radiation on health. The adequacy of the assessment of problems and responses to these challenges depends on the sources used by a person, his culture and education level, as well as the emotional overtone of this assessment.
 The aim of the study is to determine dynamic changes in the prevalence and structure of population’s radiation anxiety states under stable social conditions based on a psychological and hygienic assessment.
 Materials and methods: In order to research and assess the perception of Kropyvnytskyi residents about the degree and prevalence of radiation anxiety states, a survey was conducted on Facebook and Instagram social networks from February to December 2019 using Google Form. For assessment of dynamic changes in radiation anxiety, data from our own studies in 2014 were used [9]. The questionnaire methodology was based on the principles of the previously tested and patented "Methodology for determining radiation anxiety among the population" and the monograph "Radiation anxiety among the population". Three hundred and twenty four residents of Kropyvnytskyi aged 18 to 73 were included in the study, 155 (47.8%) men and 169 (52.2%) women. The average age of the interviewees (Me (LQ; HQ)) was 27 (20; 33) years old.
 Results. A specific psycho-emotional state is developed and maintained at some level in the residents of cities with nuclear power plants – radiation anxiety, which is manifested by a complex of neuropsychological and somato-physiological disorders against the fear of ionizing radiation sources background. At the same time, such a psychogenic effect may not be related to the degree of actual effects of ionizing radiation on human health. It was determined that in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's full armed aggression against Ukraine, more than 90% of the surveyed residents of Kropyvnytskyi, regardless of gender and age, were concerned about potential radiation pollution of the environment and foodstuffs, medium level of radiation anxiety was in 34,9%, and high level in 14.8% . Low radiation anxiety was detected in 41.4% of respondents, and in 8.9% it was absent.
 Conclusions. Over 5 years (from 2014 to 2019), there were noticeable negative changes in the structure of the radiation anxiety states among the surveyed urban residents, namely: the amount of people without signs of radiation anxiety halved (8.9% vs. 16.0%) and respondents with the high level of this psycho-emotional state increased almost four times (14.8% versus 3.9%). The obtained results encourage the authors to future studies of specific radiation anxiety states among the population to clarify their dynamics.