Course 'Radiation and Life', assessment of issues of public concern.

摘要

The public of the XXI Century is avid for information about the newest technical and scientificadvances occurred and on how do they impact in our daily life. All over the world, the channels of masscommunication provide all kind of valuable knowledge that could be of interest for the audience. Part of thisbroadcasted information however, is managed without the required scientific strictness due to its technicalcomplexity or in most the cases, because it is being used for sensational purposes.The Nuclear Energy has been subjected to different manipulations and misinterpretation by the media because thedisastrous consequences of its initial utilization for war purposes. For this reason, the International Atomic EnergyAgency has recommended to its Member States the development of a coherent policy for public information basedon an adequate real balance of the risk and the benefits of the pacific uses of the nuclear energy, with specialemphasis in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In this context, the Regulatory Bodies are invited to use allavailable resources for information distribution to provide the truth that the society requires with transparency andthe appropriate technical strictness as well as to develop periodical assessment on how does the populationincorporate this information and what changes on the public perception of the nuclear energy have occurred. Inline with the policy of the Government of the Republic of Cuba concerning the systematic improvement andstrengthening the level of the general culture of our population, a comprehensive course entitled “Radiation andLife” was designed and prepared by the authors of the present paper, and broadcasted by the Cuban television inthe popular programme “University for All”. The email recipient radiacionesyvida@cnsn.cu was speciallyimplemented to assess the impact of this course in the public opinion. This email address was used as an effectiveway of interaction between the lectures and the public and as a proactive tool for the continuous improvement ofthe course by making emphasis on those aspects of public concern.The paper discusses the lessons learned during the design and implementation of this course, with particular stresson the elaboration of the outline structure of the course and the basis for the election of the lectures, on thepreparation of a tabloid to develop the contents as well as on the use of the television techniques and format toreach the public. The assessment of the more than 80 messages received by the authors has been included. As theresult, those aspects considered as being the most relevant for the Cuban public opinion are also presented in thepaper. The paper shows the convenience and necessity of establishing and implementing an adequate nationalinformation policy to offer to the public a clear and scientifically correct knowledge about the risks and benefits ofthe uses of the nuclear energy contrasting with the information used for sensational purposes.