A. Goto et al.: Radioprotection 2026, 61( 2), 166 – 170 169
Table 3. Opinions on using radiation protection digital tools. Opinions n(%)
|
Men( n = 29) |
Women( n = 8) |
Feel relieved |
13( 44.8) |
2( 25.0) |
Feel tired |
0( 0.0) |
1( 12.5) |
Not helpful |
3( 10.3) |
2( 25.0) |
Others |
13( 44.8) |
3( 37.5) |
The most applicable answer option was selected. The question was asked to only those who had used the tool.
Table 4. Expectations on functions of radiation protection digital tools.
Functions Yes n(%)
|
Men( n = 126) |
Women( n = 119) |
Environmental radiation measurement |
95( 75.4) |
85( 71.4) |
Measurement of radiation level in foodstuff |
71( 56.4) |
72( 60.5) |
Official real-time radiation measurement |
71( 56.4) |
76( 63.9) |
Non-official real-time radiation measurement 34( 27.0) |
45( 37.8) |
General information about the health effects |
68( 54.0) |
72( 60.5) |
of radiation and ways to protect yourself from radiation |
|
|
Individually tailored instructions |
43( 34.1) |
45( 37.8) |
Interactive communication( Q & A and chat) |
21( 16.7) |
14( 11.8) |
Each item was asked to answer yes or no.
differences in needs, and inform women about the usefulness of the digital tools for their lives. This was a secondary analysis of existing Internet data to explore the gender digital divide concerning a limited range of tools in Japan, and further in-depth research is needed with more participants in a specific community to grasp local needs. Such efforts are required in the normal environment as part of disaster preparedness. Especially in a nuclear disaster, radiation is invisible, and digital tools have a significant impact on visualizing exposure levels and improving radiationprotectionmeasures( Ohba et al., 2020).
Funding
This research did not receive any specific funding.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Data availability statement
The data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Ethics approval
The study was approved by the Fukushima Medical University Ethics Committee( No. 2019-133).
Informed consent
This study did not use any data involving human subjects. References
Figueroa CA, Luo T, Aguilera A, Lyles CR. 2021. The need for feminist intersectionality in digital health. Lancet Digit Health 3: e526 – e533.
Intage. 2024. Survey monitor. https:// www. intage. co. jp / english / service / platform / monitor /.
Kim K, Shin S, Kim S, Lee E. 2023. The Relation between eHealth literacy and health-related behaviors: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Internet Res 25: e40778. Madanian S, Norris T, Parry D. 2020. Disaster eHealth: scoping review. J Med Internet Res 22: e18310.
Mitsutake S, Shibata A, Ishii K, Okazaki K, Oka K. 2011. Developing Japanese version of the eHealth Literacy Scale( eHEALS). [ Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi ] Jpn J Public Health 58: 361 – 371.
Miyawaki R, Kato M, Kawamura Y, Ishikawa H, Oka I. 2024. Developing a Japanese version of the Digital Health Literacy Instrument. [ Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi ] Jpn J Public Health 71: 3 – 14.
Norman CD, Skinner HA. 2006. eHealth literacy: essential skills for consumer health in a networked world. J Med Internet Res 8: e9.
OECD. 2025. OECD dashboard on gender gaps. https:// www. oecd. org / en / data / dashboards / gender-dashboard. html.
Ohba T, Goto A, Yumiya Y, Murakami M, Nakano H, Honda K, Nollet KE, Schneider T, Tanigawa K. 2021. Tailoring digital tools to address the radiation and health information needs of returnees after a nuclear accident. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18: 12704.
Ohba T, Goto A, Nakano H, Nollet KE, Murakami M, Yoshida K, Yumiya Y, Honda K, Kuroda Y, Kumagai A, Ohira T, Tanigawa K. 2020. Implementing eHealth with radiation records: a new support package for evacuees returning to areas around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. Radioprotection 55: 291 – 295.
Sings S. 2020. Mobile apps for monitoring radiation doses, health, and welfare in the context of a nuclear or radiological accident. https:// www. iss. it / documents / 20126 / 0 / Shamisen _ Bookle t _ A4 _ 04 _ FINAL21022020. pdf.
UNESCO. 2019. I’ d Blush if I could: closing gender divides in digital skills through education. https:// unesdoc. unesco. org / ark:/ 48223 / pf0000367416. pdf.
Yumiya Y, Ohba T, Murakami M, Nakano H, Nollet KE, Goto A. 2021. User-guided design of a digital tool for health promotion and radiation protection: results from an internet needs survey. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18: 12007.
Cite this article as: Goto A, Henning M, Danguilan M, Ohba T, Chi C. 2026. Investigating the digital health and gender dimension for radiation protection in Japan. Radioprotection 61( 2): 166 – 170. https:// doi. org / 10.1051 / radiopro / 2025020