The qualitative surveys were designed to investigate the impact of countermeasures and to develop understanding of the concept of normal living. Task 4 gained an understanding of the interaction of selected countermeasures with the communities subject to them. Twelve focus groups were held in affected communities in Belarus and Ukraine, composed of men or women in mixed age, single sex groupings. Participants were asked about life in the settlements, particularly their behaviour and feelings in relation to the activities and countermeasures under investigation. It was found that different dose vectors are more or less socially important in different settlements, or among different groups of persons, the importance of any vector being intertwined with daily practices.
Rural residents feel conflicting pressures as they consider countermeasure compliance.
The high social, economic and psychological importance of owning a cow, providing milk to children, and gathering and sometimes selling forest foods, weighs heavily on compliance decisions. Distress results from these conflicts. Countermeasures appear to be particularly unsuccessful in gaining compliance when they imply sacrifice on too many levels. It is unreasonable to expect individuals to comply with bans or restrictions at such a price, especially in a situation in which the choice appears to be between refusing contaminated food and having little food at all. Uncertainty of radiation risk inherent in the post-accident situation compounds distress and results in a decline of social trust for the authorities.