TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived environmental and health risks of nuclear energy in Taiwan after Fukushima nuclear disaster
AU - Ho, Jung Chun
AU - Lee, Chiao Tzu Patricia
AU - Kao, Shu Fen
AU - Chen, Ruey Yu
AU - Ieong, Marco C.F.
AU - Chang, Hung Lun
AU - Hsieh, Wan Hua
AU - Tzeng, Chun Chiao
AU - Lu, Cheng Fung
AU - Lin, Suei Loong
AU - Chang, Peter Wushou
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to all the respondents who participated in the study. We would like to express our genuine gratitude to the following experts and colleagues including Dr. Lucetta Tsai, Prof Kuo-ying Wang, Prof. Albert Li, Prof. Chin-fen Chen, Dr. Yuan-chieh Yeh, Miss Chao-ying Wu, Miss Chia-ling Su, Miss Hui-ling Li, Miss Lin-chuan Shaw, Miss. Shir-Yu Chou, Miss Wen-chi Ho, Miss Ya-ping Lee, Miss Yi-yu Chen, Mr. Kuo-hua Hsu, Mrs. Chi-fen Chen, Mrs. Chia-yu Wang, Mrs. Ching-chen Shih, Mrs. Mei-hua Yu, Mr. Sheng-fa Chang, Mr. Jui-chang Chao, Mr. Po-yu Lin, Mr. Pai-lin Tien, Mrs. Shu-hui Wu, Mr. Chien-shu Hwang, Mr. Hsi-hsiang Hsu, Mr. Wen-tung Wu, Mr. Ying-chung Su, Mr. Jiun-wei Li and Mrs. Kuei-ying Yang for their support and assistance in data collection. The study was partly funded by the Taipei Medical University faculty grants, as well as the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan.
PY - 2014/12
Y1 - 2014/12
N2 - After the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in Japan in 2011, a nation-wide survey using a standardized self-administered questionnaire was conducted in Taiwan, with a sample size of 2,742 individuals including the residents who live within and beyond 30. km from a nuclear power plant (NPP), to evaluate the participants' perceived nuclear risk in comparison with their perceived risks from selected environmental hazards and human behaviors. The three leading concerns of nuclear energy were "nuclear accidents (82.2%)," "radioactive nuclear waste disposal (76.9%)" and "potential health effects (73.3%)." Respondents (77.6%) perceived a higher relative risk of cancer incidence for those who live within 30. km from an NPP than those who live outside 30. km from an NPP. All the participants had a higher risk perception of death related to "nuclear power operation and nuclear waste" than cigarette smoking, motorcycling, food poisoning, plasticizer poisoning and traveling by air. Moreover, the residents in Gongliao where the planned fourth NPP is located had a significantly higher perceived risk ratio (PRR) of cancer incidence (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 1.84, p value = 0.017) and perceived risk of death (aOR=4.03, p value. <. 0.001) related to nuclear energy. The other factors such as female gender (aOR/. p value, 1.25/0.026 and 1.34/0.001 respectively), lower education levels (aOR/. p value: 1.31/0.032; 2.03/<. 0.001) and the participants' concerns about nuclear accidents (aOR/. p value: 1.33/0.022; 1.51/<. 0.001) and potential health effects (aOR/ p value: 2.95/ <. 0.001; 2.56/<. 0.001) were found to be commonly associated with the PRRs of "cancer incidence" and "perceived risk of death" related to nuclear energy, respectively. In addition, the respondents' concerns about nuclear waste disposal and possible eco-environmental damage made significant contributions (aOR/ p value: 1.39/ 0.001; 1.40/<. 0.001) to predict their perceived risk of death related to nuclear power. These factors are considered as important indicators and they can be used for suggesting future policy amendments and public referendum on the decision of the operation of the planned NPP.
AB - After the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in Japan in 2011, a nation-wide survey using a standardized self-administered questionnaire was conducted in Taiwan, with a sample size of 2,742 individuals including the residents who live within and beyond 30. km from a nuclear power plant (NPP), to evaluate the participants' perceived nuclear risk in comparison with their perceived risks from selected environmental hazards and human behaviors. The three leading concerns of nuclear energy were "nuclear accidents (82.2%)," "radioactive nuclear waste disposal (76.9%)" and "potential health effects (73.3%)." Respondents (77.6%) perceived a higher relative risk of cancer incidence for those who live within 30. km from an NPP than those who live outside 30. km from an NPP. All the participants had a higher risk perception of death related to "nuclear power operation and nuclear waste" than cigarette smoking, motorcycling, food poisoning, plasticizer poisoning and traveling by air. Moreover, the residents in Gongliao where the planned fourth NPP is located had a significantly higher perceived risk ratio (PRR) of cancer incidence (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 1.84, p value = 0.017) and perceived risk of death (aOR=4.03, p value. <. 0.001) related to nuclear energy. The other factors such as female gender (aOR/. p value, 1.25/0.026 and 1.34/0.001 respectively), lower education levels (aOR/. p value: 1.31/0.032; 2.03/<. 0.001) and the participants' concerns about nuclear accidents (aOR/. p value: 1.33/0.022; 1.51/<. 0.001) and potential health effects (aOR/ p value: 2.95/ <. 0.001; 2.56/<. 0.001) were found to be commonly associated with the PRRs of "cancer incidence" and "perceived risk of death" related to nuclear energy, respectively. In addition, the respondents' concerns about nuclear waste disposal and possible eco-environmental damage made significant contributions (aOR/ p value: 1.39/ 0.001; 1.40/<. 0.001) to predict their perceived risk of death related to nuclear power. These factors are considered as important indicators and they can be used for suggesting future policy amendments and public referendum on the decision of the operation of the planned NPP.
KW - Nuclear accident
KW - Nuclear power plant
KW - Perceived health risk
KW - Public concerns
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U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2014.08.007
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2014.08.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 25181579
AN - SCOPUS:84907361254
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 73
SP - 295
EP - 303
JO - Environment international
JF - Environment international
ER -
