Abstract
BackgroundThe Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster caused a global panic by a release of harmful radionuclides. In a disaster setting, misusage of contemporary media sources available today can lead to disseminated incorrect information and panic. The study aims to build a scale which examines associations between media and individual anxieties, and to propose effective media usages for future disaster management.MethodsThe University of Tokyo collaborated with the Fukushima local government to conduct a radiation-health-seminar for a total of 1560 residents, at 12 different locations in Fukushima. A 13 item questionnaire collected once before and after a radiation-seminar was used on factor analysis to develop sub-scales for multiple regression models, to determine relationships between the sub-scales and media type consumed. A paired t–test was used to examine any changes in sub-scale of pre- and post-seminar scores.ResultsThree sub-scales were revealed and were associated with different media types: was with rumors, while concern for the future was positively associated with regional-newspapers and negatively with national-newspapers. Anxiety about social-disruption was associated with radio. The seminar had a significant effect on anxiety reduction for all the three sub-scales.ConclusionDifferent media types were associated with various heightened concerns, and that a radiation seminar was helpful to reduce anxieties in the post-disaster setting. By tailoring post-disaster messages via specific media types, i.e., radio, it may be possible to effectively convey important information, as well as to calm fears about particular elements of post-disaster recovery and to combat rumors.
Highlights
Significant radiation-release events are rare and can cause elevated health risks over a wide area
Unreliable or alarmist media coverage may lead to dissemination of incorrect information, panic and misconceptions about both disaster response and the health consequences of the accident; authoritative or highly trusted media sources may provide an ideal avenue for disaster responders to disseminate important public health and safety messages [4]
Understanding the relationship between collective anxiety over the impact of radiation on individuals and society and various types of mass media may serve those responsible for planning or implementing disaster responses [5]. This is especially important because lay understanding of radiation risk can vary widely from the understanding of experts responding to a disaster [6], and media reporting of radiation risk has been heavily criticized for both its poor scientific basis and alarmism [7,8]
Summary
Significant radiation-release events are rare and can cause elevated health risks over a wide area. Modern disaster settings can receive significant media coverage from a wide range of contemporary media sources [2], enabling people to obtain information of varying quality about the health and social consequences of such an event This media coverage can be available to those directly affected by the radiation-release events, and offer risks and opportunities in disaster management in modern settings [3]. Understanding the relationship between collective anxiety over the impact of radiation on individuals and society and various types of mass media may serve those responsible for planning or implementing disaster responses [5] This is especially important because lay understanding of radiation risk can vary widely from the understanding of experts responding to a disaster [6], and media reporting of radiation risk has been heavily criticized for both its poor scientific basis and alarmism [7,8]. The study aims to build a scale which examines associations between media and individual anxieties, and to propose effective media usages for future disaster management
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