The credibility of risk information about licit substances: An exploratory study of attitudes among Swedish adults

Abstract

AimsProviding risk information on licit substances is a central health promotion strategy. There is, however, very little knowledge about public attitudes on this information. In this exploratory study we analyse the extent to which Swedish adults: 1) trust risk information regarding alcohol, cigarettes and wet snuff (“snus”) provided by public authorities, 2) perceive risk information regarding alcohol, cigarettes and snus as consistent, and 3) have received an adequate amount of risk information from public authorities regarding these substances. The aim is also to investigate if certain characteristics among participants are related to their perceptions of such risk information.MethodsA questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of individuals aged 18 to 70 (n=1623, 54% response rate). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression techniques were used to process data.ResultsParticipants trusted risk information concerning cigarettes, snus and alcohol provided by public authorities, and reported that they had received an adequate amount of it. Information about cigarettes was seen as more trustworthy and consistent than information about alcohol and snus. The study suggests that attitudes on risk information are substance-specific and associated in complex ways with gender, age, education and experience of own substance use.ConclusionWhile only a first attempt to map an under-investigated area, our study highlights complexities in how people perceive risk information about licit substances. It also indicates that the general population in Sweden receives what is seen as an adequate amount of knowledge from public authorities, and finds it consistent and trustworthy.