Radiation risks coefficients for Russian population following single or prolonged exposure to radiation

First calculated radiation risks coefficients following single or prolonged exposure of Russian cohorts to radiation are reported in the article. For calculation state-of-the-art models of ICRP 2007 and BEIR VII were used. The coefficients were related to the age at the first exposure; if it varies from 20 to 60 years the coefficient values calculated with ICRP 2007 and BEIR VII models are reduced by about 4 and 1.5 times respectively. Coefficients of radiation risks estimated with ICRP model are twofold lower on average than coefficients estimated with BEIR VII model. The difference between risk coefficients of solid cancers and leukemias for the population of the Krasnoyarsk region and the whole Russia differ by no more than 3%, this value corresponds to the difference between incidence and general mortality rates in these cohorts. Selection of a model introduces a basic uncertainty in estimate of radiation risk (up to 200%). For this reason models for assessing Russian national radiation risks coefficients must be identified with the use of radiation epidemiological data of Russian populations and cohorts.