Nuclear Radiation Knowledge and Anxiety Levels among Residents around a Nuclear Power Plant in Liaoning Province, China.

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT Awareness of radiation-related knowledge (RRK) and nuclear energy-related knowledge (NERK) among residents around a nuclear power plant (NPP), as well as their concerns about a NPP, were investigated. A face-to-face survey was conducted among 1,775 residents within 30 km around the NPP in Liaoning Province, China. A single-item Likert scale, Spearman's/Pearson's correlation coefficients, Student's t-test, ANOVA, and multiple-linear regression analysis were employed. Awareness of RRK and NERK among residents around the NPP was 27.7% and 36.6%, respectively. The anxiety level of respondents was negatively corelated with the distance from their residence to the NPP and age. Also, 55.6% of respondents thought that the publicity about nuclear energy/NPPs was insufficient, and 82.7% of respondents wanted to know relevant information about NPPs. Awareness of RRK and NERK among residents around the NPP was relatively low, which was related to education, occupation, and income. The anxiety level among residents was related to distance and age. The public was eager to know about RRK and NERK. These findings indicate that the publicity and education of RRK and NERK among residents around the NPP should be strengthened.