Hierarchical Linear Models of Factors Associated with Public Participation among Residents Living near the US Army's Chemical Weapons Stockpile Sites

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate public involvement among residents living near the US Army's eight Chemical Weapons Stockpile sites. A cross-sectional study was conducted across 10 states. Primary data were obtained through a random digit dialling population survey. The study sample consisted of 8315 residents living within emergency response zones surrounding the US Army's Chemical Weapons Stockpile sites. Three research questions were investigated: (1) to what extent respondents participated in specific civic activities, and to what extent respondents intended to participate in site-related decisions; (2) to what extent psychological, social, economic and programmatic factors influenced a respondent's civic participation or personal intent to participate; and (3) to what extent a respondent's civic participation or personal intent to participate were individually or contextually determined. Residents in this sample exhibited moderately high levels of civic participation. Overall, residents across the sites did not differ greatly with respect to either civic participation or the intent to participate. Civic participation was primarily associated with educational attainment and family size. The intent to participate was primarily associated with the following individual variables: perceived technological attributes; perceived risk; perceived impact; perceptions towards public outreach; educational attainment; and gender. In terms of community variables, the intent to participate was also indirectly associated with the number of activist groups.