After a large-scale radiation incident such as the detonation of an improvised nuclear device, an unplanned release of radiation from a nuclear power plant, or the deployment of a radiation dispersal device, many people who were near the incident will seek medical reassurance, despite the low likelihood of experiencing clinically significant radiation exposure. This group, often called the "worried well," if not addressed separately, could overwhelm facilities and services designed to triage individuals who received high doses of radiation. Therefore, it is crucial to address this group's needs directly and estimate their numbers. Current biodosimetry methods are tailored for triage and dose estimation in individuals with significant exposures. Since first responders and healthcare workers will likely focus on high-dose cases, new methods are needed to serve the worried well. These could involve individuals collecting samples themselves and either reading them at home or transporting them to centers for analysis. Such methods must be able to use parameters valid for periods longer than two weeks. For example, one promising approach is electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis of radiation-induced free radicals in nail clippings. Developing this or other techniques capable of managing the large numbers of worried well, likely to be individuals with insignificant radiation exposure, will require sustained dedicated effort.
Swartz et al. (Wed,) studied this question.