Extracting information content on radiation risks from the receiver perspective: Examining Fukushima residents 10 years after the Fukushima nuclear reactor accident

The purpose of this study was to clarify how more useful information could be provided to Fukushima Prefecture residents (below, information "receivers"), who are still anxious about radiation risks 10 years after the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor accident. Using the mental model approach, mental models on radiation risks were developed for experts and receivers, with Fukushima residents being the expected readers. The degree of anxiety among receivers about radiation immediately after the accident was compared with their current degree of anxiety, and they were divided into two groups (those with reduced anxiety and those with unchanged anxiety) to create mental models. By comparing the three models, it was found that the receivers generally understand the effects of radiation on health, the environmental dosages, their relationship with the human body, and decontamination methods and effectiveness. It was also observed that they are uninformed about the properties of radioactive substances, effective doses, and expulsion of ingested radioactive substances. There were no major differences between the two receiver models, suggesting that the content and extent of knowledge regarding radiation risks are not directly linked to current anxiety. However, the group with reduced anxiety had a greater level of basic radiation knowledge, suggesting that after the accident, they sought out or recalled more of the knowledge provided.