Introduction: Although we may not be aware of it, ionizing radiation is part of our everyday lives, and knowledge about its sources, effects and risks is often lacking in the general population, especially among young people. They usually encounter it only during medical examinations, and they are not aware of the importance of natural sources of radiation, e.g. radon, cosmic radiation, radioactivity present in food and others. Purpose: The purpose of our research was to determine how well elementary school students know about ionizing radiation and its risks and harmful effects. We also wanted to check what impact a single lecture has on the level of their knowledge. Methods: We conducted a quantitative study with a survey questionnaire, which was completed by 9th grade students at Ivan Grohar Elementary School. The survey was completed twice, the first time immediately after the lecture on ionizing radiation and then a month later. The results were analyzed using the SPSS program, where we provided descriptive statistics and the results of statistical tests (T-test, contingency tables). Results: Students demonstrated a relatively low level of knowledge of ionizing radiation, in the survey. They often chose neutral answers, which indicates their uncertainty in their knowledge. After the lecture, they remembered more interesting cases or situations in which they had already found themselves (e.g. radiation in Postojna Cave), but part of the knowledge was lost after one month. Statistically significant differences were observed in some statements, which confirms that education has a short-term effect on knowledge, so it is important that information is repeated several times and thus also ensures long-term improvement of knowledge. Discussion and conclusion: The results showed that the level of knowledge of ionizing radiation among students is low, which was also expected considering other research already conducted. This can lead to an irrational fear of radiological examinations. Education does improve knowledge, but without regular updating and repetition of facts, students quickly forget information. We found that the topic of ionizing radiation and its effects should be included in more detail in the educational process and presented to students in an accessible and interesting way.
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