Determining the Relationship of Awareness of Radioactivity and Radiation Protection with the Level of Education in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the level of awareness of Turkish society about
radiation and the level of knowledge about radiation protection, and the relationship
between the knowledge and education levels. A 22-item questionnaire was prepared for
the participation of individuals who did not receive any academic training in the field of
radiation. The prepared questionnaire was published on the web and 737 participants
answered the questions. The answers of participants were evaluated using the SPSS 26
program. Relationship analyzes were made with the Pearson chi-square test on the data
obtained from the questionnaire, and the data with a p value less than 0.05 were
considered statistically significant. It was determined that the participants were aware of
artificial and technological radiation sources, while their awareness about natural ionizing
radiation sources was not at a sufficient level. The participants stated that they are aware
of the effects of technological developments and the devices used in health institutions
and also they trust the radiation workers working in the radiation fields. In addition it was
determined that Turkish people had a low level of awareness of radioactivity and
radiation protection information.