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Perception of risk and subjective health among victims of the Chernobyl disaster

Author

Listed:
  • Havenaar, J. M.
  • de Wilde, E. J.
  • van den Bout, J.
  • Drottz-Sjöberg, B. M.
  • van den Brink, W.

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated that the nuclear power plant accident at Chernobyl in 1986 had a strong impact on the subjective health of the inhabitants in the surrounding regions and that the majority of these health complaints appear to be stress-related. An epidemiological survey among the adult population of the Gomel region in Belarus near Chernobyl showed higher rates of self-reported health problems, psychological distress and medical service use in this region than in a comparable unexposed region. This paper presents an analysis of data on cognitive factors that were collected in this study. The findings support the hypothesis that cognitive variables such as risk perception and sense of control play an important role as mediating factors in the explanation of the observed health differences between the exposed and non-exposed regions. A tentative model is presented to further clarify the role of risk perception in the occurrence of non-specific health complaints after such ecological disasters.

Suggested Citation

  • Havenaar, J. M. & de Wilde, E. J. & van den Bout, J. & Drottz-Sjöberg, B. M. & van den Brink, W., 2003. "Perception of risk and subjective health among victims of the Chernobyl disaster," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(3), pages 569-572, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:56:y:2003:i:3:p:569-572
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard E. Adams & Lin T. Guey & Semyon F. Gluzman & Evelyn J. Bromet, 2011. "Psychological well-being and risk perceptions of mothers in Kyiv, Ukraine, 19 years after the Chornobyl disaster," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 57(6), pages 637-645, November.
    2. Itaru Miura & Masato Nagai & Masaharu Maeda & Mayumi Harigane & Senta Fujii & Misari Oe & Hirooki Yabe & Yuriko Suzuki & Hideto Takahashi & Tetsuya Ohira & Seiji Yasumura & Masafumi Abe, 2017. "Perception of Radiation Risk as a Predictor of Mid-Term Mental Health after a Nuclear Disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-13, September.
    3. Verschuur, M. & Spinhoven, P. & Emmerik, A. van & Rosendaal, F., 2007. "Making a bad thing worse: Effects of communication of results of an epidemiological study after an aviation disaster," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(7), pages 1430-1441, October.
    4. Argyris, Nikolaos & French, Simon, 2017. "Nuclear emergency decision support: A behavioural OR perspective," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 262(1), pages 180-193.
    5. Vandermoere, Frédéric, 2008. "Psychosocial health of residents exposed to soil pollution in a Flemish neighbourhood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(7), pages 1646-1657, April.

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