Analyzing Public Interest in Radiation Safety Amid Social Issues: A Study on Radon Beds and the COVID-19 Pandemic

The radon bed incident and the COVID-19 pandemic were major social issues that heightened public interest in radiation safety, bringing renewed attention to the risks of radiation exposure and the need for effective safety management.This study aimed to analyze changes in public interest in radiation safety during the 2018 radon bed incident and the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020.We used search trend data from Naver DataLab from May 2018 to January 2025.We conducted time-series analysis, correlation analysis, and independent sample t-tests to examine fluctuations in search volumes for radiation safety and related keywords.The analysis revealed that the search volume for relevant keywords surged sharply during specific social events, such as the radon bed incident 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020, raising public concern about radiation exposure and safety.However, no statistically significant correlation was found between social issues and public interest in radiation safety.Even during COVID-19, when the use of CT scans and medical radiation increased, no significant correlation was observed.These findings objectively demonstrate how specific social issues influence public interest in radiation safety, suggesting that insufficient education on radiation safety may contribute.Therefore, continuous public education and policy-level support are essential to raise awareness and promote a culture of radiation safety.This study provides empirical data on public interest in radiation safety based on search trend analysis, offering valuable insights into the necessity of radiation education.Furthermore, the findings can contribute to developing effective communication and educational strategies to reduce radiation-related risks.