[ RadSafe ] Psychological Impacts of Chernobyl

[Leo M. Lowe]

Hello Rich,

Relative to your question copied below, one measure of the real 
impacts of the fear and stress caused by Chernobyl is the number of 
induced abortions brought about by perceived potential birth 
defects.  The number of excess induced abortions in Europe due to 
this fear has been estimated in the tens of thousands, and even 
higher.  For example, see:

1.  Trichopoulos et al "The victims of Chernobyl in Greece: induced 
abortions after the accident" Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1987;295;1100.

  2. LB Knudsen "Legally-induced abortions in Denmark after 
Chernobyl" - Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy (1991) 45:229-231.

These were real lives lost, just out of fear of what could happen 
from "radiation".  Better information given to those exposed 
post-Chernobyl about the real risks of radiation could have saved 
many of these lives.

L. Lowe
________________________________________________________________________________
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:09:42 -0700
From: "Richard Gallego" <rich at tgainc.com>
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Busby and Kaku - Two Scientific Alarmists -
To: "'The International Radiation Protection \(Health Physics\)
	MailingList'"	<radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>


Is there a way to quantify the effect of the fear and stress caused by the
fear mongering of articles like these? The Los Angeles Times had an article
this past Sunday on Chernobyl and it appeared that suicide and depression
were not insignificant effects of the accident. One has to wonder what
effect these exaggerated and erroneous proclamations have on the people
living close to the damaged reactors.

Rich Gallego