RADIATION RISK AWARENESS SCALE: A METHODOLOGICAL STUDY

Purpose: The aim of this research was to develop a tool to measure people's awareness of the potential risks of radiation in their environment or in the areas where they operate. The developed scale provides a comprehensive tool for assessing people's level of awareness and knowledge of the radiation sources they encounter in their daily lives. Methods: In the study, the survey method was applied and data were obtained by convenience sampling method in accordance with the quantitative research design. For the research data, 1370 adult individuals were included in the study. “Personal Information Form” and “Radiation Risk Awareness Scale” were used to obtain the data. Reliability and construct validity analyses of the developed scale were conducted Results: As a result of the analyses, it was determined that the radiation-related risk awareness scale consists of 24 items and 3 dimensions and has an acceptable fit as a result of construct validity. The fact that the Cronbach Alpha values of the radiation-related risk awareness scale and its sub-dimensions are between 0.80-1.00 shows that the scale has a high degree of reliability. Conclusion: As a result of the research, the radiation-related risk awareness scale can be used in research to determine the level of awareness that people have against the potential risks of radiation in their environment or in the areas where they operate.