Bulgarian public opinion survey for risk perception including radon and suggestions for communication

Abstract

The paper reviews and analyses the results of STEAM survey of the Bulgarian population. A Survey and the preparation of a questionnaire were initiated within the framework of the IAEA Project RER9153 “Enhancing the Regional Capacity to Control Long-Term Risks to the Public due to radon in Dwellings and Workplaces”. The survey includes 1003 respondents from the Bulgarian adult population 18+. The main conclusions are:The health of the Bulgarian people is mostly assessed as satisfactory (38.7%) and all respondent considers a person's health better than the people's health as a whole. The main risk factors that can affect the health of Bulgarians are: Stress; Unhealthy nutrition; Smoking; Polluted air/dust; Health system - difficult access, improper treatment; Economic situation - low income; Alcohol; Lack of physical activity. Risks such as Environment; Working place and Lifestyle (harmful habits) are below 10%. The general awareness of radon and associated risks with it is very low among the Bulgarian adult population: 78% know nothing or very little about the health risks of radon. Almost half of the population doesn't know if home radon testing is a priority for them. About 30% of Bulgarians think that there is no point in testing the home they live in since they always maintain good ventilation. The population does not recognize the National Radiation Protection and Public Health Authorities as a trusted source of health risk information. The internet and social media are the main sources of information regarding health risks. The most important result that should be taken into account when building a new communication strategy is the fact that nearly 40% of the respondents declare that they are informed about health risks by general practitioners (GP), and the trust in them is over 50%.