Psychological reactions to cancer risks after the Chernobyl accident

This is a report on an investigation of people's reactions to the Chernobyl accident. Interviews and mail surveys were conducted in July-September 1986 with pregnant women, parents of newborn children, farmers, adolescents and men who were not parents, in various areas of Sweden, differing as to the amount of Chernobyl fallout they had received. The accident had probably doubled the number of people who were negative to nuclear power in the most affected area. Radiation risks were highly salient in most groups. Areas differed in the expected direction, people in the more exposed areas being more concerned. Women were more worried and more negative to nuclear power than men while adolescents appeared to be the group least affected by the accident. Farmers were also strongly opposed to nuclear power and concerned about its risks. Nuclear attitude could be well accounted for by attitude statements and rated basic life values. It was quite stable over a 1 month period.