Journal of Radiation Protection and Research

The Korean Association for Radiation Protection (대한방사선방어학회)
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Different Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes of Elementary, Middle, and High School Students regarding Irradiated Food, Nuclear Power Generation, and Medical Radiation

초, 중, 고등학생의 방사선조사식품, 원자력발전, 의료방사선에 대한 인식, 지식, 태도 차이

  • Received : 2014.05.19
  • Accepted : 2014.06.05
  • Published : 2014.06.30
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Abstract

A survey was conducted on perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of elementary, middle, and high school students, who will lead public opinion in the future, regarding irradiated food, nuclear power generation, and medical radiation. These topics urgently require general social acceptability among various fields in which radiation is used. Educational methods to enhance social acceptability were partially discovered. First, it is necessary to implement different strategies when designing courses for female and male students. Male students have higher levels of objective knowledge (p<0.039) of irradiated food, necessity (p<0.001) and objective knowledge (p<0.001) of nuclear power generation, approval of building a nuclear power plant in the nation (p<0.001), necessity (p<0.001) and objective knowledge (p<0.001) of medical radiation, and attitudes regarding using medical radiation (p<0.007, p<0.001). Second, the educational effect of explanations to help increase national understanding of the necessity and safety of nuclear power generation will increase if information on the necessity and safety of medical radiation is provided as well. Both male and female students perceived that medical radiation is the most necessary (p<0.001), medical radiation is the safest (p<0.001), and nuclear power generation is the least safe (p<0.013). Moreover, the correlation between medical radiation and nuclear power generation was the highest. Third, there is a need for different lectures between classes, since the patterns of perception vary according to the field of radiation use among elementary, middle, and high school students. Elementary school students had high interest in education on nuclear power generation (p<0.005), perceived that irradiated food is safe (p<0.001), and had the most positive attitude toward consuming irradiated food (p<0.001). Middle school students had high interest in education on nuclear power generation (p<0.018), perceived that nuclear power generation (p<0.001) and medical radiation (p<0.002) are safe, and had the most positive attitude toward using radiation for treatment (p<0.001). High school students had the highest level of objective knowledge on nuclear power generation (p<0.001) and medical radiation (p<0.001), and perceived that medical radiation is the most necessary (p<0.017); however, they perceived that nuclear power generation is the least safe (p<0.001). Attitudes toward irradiated food intake (p<0.001) and approving construction of a nuclear power plant in their neighborhood (p<0.001) were both low. Fourth, it is necessary to provide educational programs to change perceptions and improve attitudes rather than providing education focused on objective knowledge. There was no correlation between objective knowledge and necessity of irradiated food, objective knowledge and safety and interest in education on nuclear power generation, and objective knowledge and interest in education and information acquirement regarding medical radiation. In particular, high school students had the highest level of objective knowledge and yet had the least positive attitudes toward approving construction of nuclear power plants in their neighborhood and intake of irradiated food. Therefore, to increase the social acceptability of using nuclear energy and radiation in Korea, it is desirable to provide strategic educational programs to improve perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes regarding the necessity and safety of their use.

향후 여론의 주도층이 될 일부 초, 중, 고등학생을 대상으로 방사선이용 분야 중 일반적으로 사회적 수용성이 절실히 필요한 방사선조사식품, 원자력발전, 의료방사선에 대한 인식, 지식 및 태도를 설문 조사한 결과 사회적 수용성 증진을 위한 교육적 근거가 일부 도출되었다. 첫째, 여학생 중심의 수업과 남학생 중심의 수업설계에 차별화된 전략이 필요하다. 여학생 보다 남학생이 방사선조사식품의 객관적 지식수준(p<0.039), 원자력발전의 필요성(p<0.001) 및 객관적 지식(p<0.001), 우리나라 원자력발전소 건설 찬성태도 (p<0.000), 의료방사선의 필요성(p<0.001) 및 객관적 지식(p<0.001), 의료방사선 이용 태도(p<0.007, p<0.001)가 모두 높기 때문이다. 둘째, 원자력발전의 필요성, 안전성에 대한 국민 이해를 돕기 위한 설명에서는 의료방사선의 필요성과 안전성에 대한 정보를 함께 제공하는 것이 교육효과를 높일 수 있다. 남, 여학생 모두 의료방사선이 가장 필요하며(p<0.001), 의료방사선이 가장 안전하며(p<0.001), 원자력 발전이 가장 안전하지 않다고(p<0.013) 인식하고 있다. 또한 의료방사선과 원자력 발전의 상관관계가 가장 높게 나타났기 때문이다. 셋째, 초, 중, 고등학생이 방사선이용 분야별로 인식의 패턴이 다르므로 학급별로 차별화된 강의내용이 필요하다. 초등학생은 원자력발전에 대한 교육흥미도가 높고(p<0.005), 방사선조사식품이 안전하다고 인식하고 있으며(p<0.001), 방사선조사식품을 섭취하겠다는 태도가 가장 높았다(p<0.001). 중학생은 의료방사선에 대한 교육흥미도가 높고(p<0.018), 원자력발전(p<0.001)과 의료방사선(p<0.002)에 대해 안전하다고 인식하고 있으며, 치료 방사선이용 태도가 가장 높았다(p<0.001). 고등학생은 원자력발전(p<0.001)과 의료방사선(p<0.001)에 대한 객관적 지식수준이 가장 높고, 의료방사선이 가장 필요하다고 인식하고 있으나(p<0.017), 원자력발전이 가장 안전하지 않다고 인식하고 있다(p<0.001). 방사선조사식품 섭취 태도(p<0.001), 거주지에 원자력발전 건설을 찬성하는 태도(p<0.001) 모두 낮았다. 넷째, 객관적 지식 중심의 교육제공보다 인식변화 및 태도증진을 위한 교육프로그램이 제공되어야 한다. 객관적 지식과 방사선조사식품의 필요성, 객관적 지식과 원자력발전에 대한 안전성 및 교육흥미도, 객관적 지식과 의료방사선의 교육흥미도 및 정보습득에는 상관관계가 없었다. 특히, 고등학생의 경우 객관적 지식수준은 가장 높았으나 거주지의 원자력발전 건설에 대해 찬성하는 태도와 방사선조사식품 섭취태도가 가장 낮았기 때문이다. 국내에서 원자력 및 방사선이용에 대한 사회적 수용성을 향상시키기 위해 필요성과 안전성에 대한 인식과 지식 및 태도 향상에 관한 교육프로그램을 전략적으로 제공하는 것이 바람직하다.

Keywords

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