| Hygiene of populated places | ISSN: 2707-0441 eISSN: 2707-045X |
Issue 70, 2020 - Pages: 100-107
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR INFORMATION ABOUT RADON RISKS
N. Aksenov1, M. Fryziuk1, T. Pavlenko1, O. Fedorenko1, O. Mykhailenko1
1 STATE INSTITUTION “O.M. MARZIEIEV INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH” NAMSU
ÓÄÊ: 614.876:613.55:546.296
SUMMÀRY:
The article analyzes and determines the most effective directions of communication strategies and specific approaches to the choice of ways to inform the population about radon risks.
Communicating with the public about radon risks is an integral part of the national radon action plan, and radon risk communication is a specific requirement of the IAEA's Basic Safety Standards.
An effective risk communication strategy provides for a multi-stakeholder information flow involving stakeholders (all stakeholders) - representatives of communities living at risk, regulators, experts, radiation safety inspectors, and should focus on informing different audiences and recommending appropriate protective measures.
It is also very important to take into account both the demographic and socio-economic context of the population and the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches to information. National and regional departments, local health authorities and non-profit organizations should work together to share knowledge, experience, resources and ideas that will stimulate radon measurements and protective actions.
An effective component of a radon risk communication campaign is to identify target audiences that need to be informed and persuaded to take the necessary protection measures, and raising public awareness of the need to reduce radon levels in homes should be a key communication strategy.
In the process of risk communication, an important aspect is the approach to the choice of ways of informing and developing the content of information messages.
The effectiveness of communications will increase significantly if you join existing other information campaigns, such as energy efficiency, smoking control, labor protection and the like.
Communication should be an ongoing process and should be carried out at all stages of the implementation of the radon action plan.
Communicating with the public about radon risks is an integral part of the national radon action plan, and radon risk communication is a specific requirement of the IAEA's Basic Safety Standards.
An effective risk communication strategy provides for a multi-stakeholder information flow involving stakeholders (all stakeholders) - representatives of communities living at risk, regulators, experts, radiation safety inspectors, and should focus on informing different audiences and recommending appropriate protective measures.
It is also very important to take into account both the demographic and socio-economic context of the population and the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches to information. National and regional departments, local health authorities and non-profit organizations should work together to share knowledge, experience, resources and ideas that will stimulate radon measurements and protective actions.
An effective component of a radon risk communication campaign is to identify target audiences that need to be informed and persuaded to take the necessary protection measures, and raising public awareness of the need to reduce radon levels in homes should be a key communication strategy.
In the process of risk communication, an important aspect is the approach to the choice of ways of informing and developing the content of information messages.
The effectiveness of communications will increase significantly if you join existing other information campaigns, such as energy efficiency, smoking control, labor protection and the like.
Communication should be an ongoing process and should be carried out at all stages of the implementation of the radon action plan.
KEYWORDS:
radon, communication strategies, stakeholders, action plan.
REFERENCES:
1. Osadcha O.M. "Risk communication" yak odyn z osnovnykh instrumentiv ekolohichnoi polityky pry zakhysti naselennia vid oprominennia radonom ["Risk Communication" as One of the Main Tools of Environmental Policy in Protecting the Population from Radon Irradiation]. Naukovi zapysky NaUKMA. Spetsialnyi vypusk. Ch. 2 [Scientific Notes of NaUKMA. Special Issue. Part 2]. 2000 ; 18 : 329-334 (in Ukrainian).
2. Osadcha O. Μ. Pravovi, metodolohichni ta orhanizatsiini problemy informuvannia naselennia pro radiatsiini ryzyky na prykladi radonu [Legal, Methodological and Organizational Problems of Informing the Population about Radiation Risks on the Example of Radon]. Naukovi zapysky NaUKMA. Ch. 3. Pryrodnychi nauky [Scientific Notes of NaUKMA. Part 3. Natural Sciences]. 2003 ; 22 : 420-425 (in Ukrainian).
3. Establishing a dialogue on risks from electromagnetic fields. WHO. Geneva, Switzerland. 2002 : 66 p.
4. Pro zatverdzhennia planu zakhodiv shchodo znyzhennia rivnia oprominennia naselennia radonom ta produktamy yoho rozpadu, minimizatsii dovhostrokovykh ryzykiv vid poshyrennia radonu v zhytlovykh ta nezhytlovykh budivliakh, na robochykh mistsiakh na 2020-2024 roky : rozporiadzhennia KMU vid 27 lystopada 2019 r. ¹ 1417-r [On Approval of the Action Plan to Reduce Exposure to Radon and its Decay Products, Minimize Long-term Risks from the Spread of Radon in Residential and Non-residential Buildings, Workplaces for 2020-2024: Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of November 27, 2019 ¹ 1417-r]. URL : https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1417-2019-%D1%80#Text
5. Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards. IAEA General Safety Requirements No. GSR Part 3. Vienna : IAEA. 2014 : 436 ð.
6. Protection of the Public against Exposure Indoors due to Radon and Other Natural Sources of Radiation. IAEA Specific Safety Guide No. SSG-32. Vienna : IAEA. 2015 : 90 ð.
7. Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 Laying Down Basic Safety Standards for Protection against the Dangers Arising from Exposure to Ionising Radiation, and Repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom. Official Journal of the European Union. 2014 ; 57 ; L13 : 73 p.
8. Radiological Protection against Radon Expozure. ICRP Publication 126. Annals of the ICRP. 2014 ; 43 (3) : 73 p.
9. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Risk communication. URL : https://www.epa.gov/risk/risk-communication
10. WHO Handbook on Indoor Radon: a Public Health Perspective. H. Zeeb and F. Shannoun (eds). Geneve : WHO. 2009 : 94 p.
11. Cheng W. Journal of Environmental Health. 2016 ; 78 (6) : 102-107.
12. Glik D. C. Annu. Rev. Public Health. 2007 ; 28 : 33-54. DOI : https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.28.021406.144123
13. Health Risk Communication. Principles and Practices. M. R. Lum, T. L. Tinker (eds). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, Georgia. 1994 : 47 p.
14. Coates R. Alert but don’t alarm: radon risk communication strategies of a UK mitigator. URL : http://aarst-nrpp.com/proceedings/2014/6_Coates_ALERT-BUT-DONT-ALARM-RADON-RISK-COMMUNICATION-STRATEGIES-OF-A-UK-MITIGATOR.pdf
15. Expert Round Table on Social Media and Risk Communication During Times of Crisis: Strategic Challenges and Opportunities: Special report. URL : https://silo.tips/download/special-report-expert-round-table-on-social-media-and-risk-communication-during
FOR CITATION:
Aksenov N., Fryziuk M., Pavlenko T., Fedorenko O., Mykhailenko O. Komunikatsiini stratehii informuvannia pro radonovi ryzyky [Communication Strategies for Information about Radon Risks]. In : Hihiiena naselenykh mists : zb. nauk. pr. [Hygiene of Populated Places]. Kyiv ; 2021 ; 71 : 100-107 (in Ukrainian).