A Survey of Perception of Nuclear Radiation Risks among Teachers and Students around a Nuclear Power Plant in Liaoning Province, China

To characterize awareness of radiation-related knowledge (RRK) and nuclear energy-related knowledge (NERK) among students and teachers living and working around nuclear power plants (NPPs), a survey of 546 teachers and students in two schools (one middle school and one high school) within 30 km of an NPP in Liaoning Province was conducted via paper questionnaires, web-based surveys, and face-to-face interviews. The data were entered using EpiData 3.1, and the result was analyzed using R Version 3.2.2. The analytical methods used included utilization and composition ratios, as well as mean-χ ± SD to statistically describe the data, and χ2 (Fisher's and Pearson's tests) as well as Student's t -test to draw comparisons. The results showed that the RRK and NERK scores (14 questions in total) of the teachers and students (546 individuals in total) were 75.6% and 57.4%, respectively. In the radiation knowledge section of the survey, the RRK of the students plus teachers was 67.8%, while the NERK score was 55.9%. The teachers' attitudes toward the benefits of nuclear energy was more positive, which may be attributable to their higher educational levels, their occupations, or their backgrounds. The survey results also indicated that teachers and students trusted nuclear science experts and authoritative media more than other non-authoritative media. This indicates that the ways in which relevant knowledge related to nuclear energy is disseminated should be carefully considered.