The Concept of Risk Perception in Health-Related Behavior Theory and Behavior Change

Abstract

Messages aiming to increase the public’s perception of health and safety risks, such as the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, are omnipresent. In these cases, the basic assumption often is that a heightened level of risk perception should lead to more protective behaviours like proper hand hygiene in hospitals. The notion that people’s perception of health risks influences their risk-taking or safety behaviour is prevalent both in health behaviour theories and applied health communication. However, research findings on the connection between risk perception and health-related behaviour are not clear-cut. In the present chapter, we look at the different operationalisations of the term risk perception and discuss several methodological issues that are widespread in the health risk perception literature which might have led to inconclusive results. Overall, even though the effect sizes are generally moderate, the majority of research findings indicate that risk perception influences health- and safety-related behaviour. This was shown both in research looking at a variety of different health-related behaviours at the same time as well as in studies only concerned with specific activities such as hand hygiene and vaccination. Therefore, risk perception as a concept truly deserves its place in health behaviour theory and behaviour change interventions. Some implications of these findings on intervention design are discussed.