Health-related Risk Perceptions Research Articles

Children’s Exposure Factors and Risk Perception of Sanitation Challenges Along the U.S.–Mexico Border

ABSTRACT In the rural U.S.–Mexico border towns, transboundary sanitary sewage overflows (SSOs) are of concern. The high concentrations of pathogens present in SSOs poses a threat to the shared ecosystem and communities’ health and well-being. Concerns related to an SSO effluent situated adjacent to a school in Naco, Arizona led to an academic-government-school partnership to assess children’s exposure factors, environment and health related risk perceptions, and risk communication preferences. A survey administered to school staff (n = 9) and parents (n = 31) observed a lower hand/object-to-mouth behavior for children ages 4–6 compared to values in the literature, and the need to further assess exposure factors for children over six. While there was a general negative risk perception to SSOs, approximately half of respondents did not have/were not sure of any SSO-related events. Using the Bioregion/One Health and cross-border governance frameworks, this study highlights the governing barriers that exist during SSO events and underscores the need for community participation, effective intervention, and risk communication strategies.

Worried (and) sick: how environmental hazards affect Americans’ health-related risk attitudes

This study explores risk attitudes towards environmental hazards by adapting the Comprehensive Conceptual Risk Perception Model (CCRPM) and applying it in the context of health-related implications of these hazards. We argue that personal experience and a deeper understanding of environmental hazards increase risk perceptions, while a strong social context reduces health concerns. Utilizing data from a national survey (N = 1207), our findings reveal higher health-related risk perceptions among individuals with pre-existing health conditions. Additionally, those with greater knowledge of environmental threats exhibit heightened concern about health complications. Conversely, individuals in communities with robust social ties report lower risk attitudes. An in-depth analysis further indicates that residents of high-risk communities, characterized by higher levels of air pollution, have increased risk perceptions compared to those in less polluted areas. These findings reinforce the dimensions described in the CCRPM and highlight the significance of structural conditions in shaping individuals' risk perceptions.

Adolescent risk perceptions of ENDS use: Room for change in tobacco education

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) have surpassed combustible cigarettes as the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. middle and high school students, and research shows that youth do not perceive great risk of harm from regular ENDS use. FDA’s public education campaigns help educate youth about the potential risks of using tobacco products and three separate experimental copy testing/ad testing studies (N = 1907) were conducted in support of the FDAs “The Real Cost” (TRC) Cigarette and ENDS Campaigns. These studies provided data for the current investigation which used harm perception items to assess perceived risks of cigarette or ENDS use among adolescents after viewing a public health education advertisement. Eligible youth aged 13–17 who were susceptible, or experimenting, with cigarettes or vaping products were recruited online and randomized into either an ad viewing exposure group, or a non-ad viewing control group. The ads focused on health effects, addiction, or both. Effect sizeson key harm perception measures between groups were computed and standardized to allow for comparisons.Both TRC Cigarette and TRC ENDS ads were able to change harm and addiction perceptions (p < .05); however, effect sizes were significantly larger for items related to health effects for ENDS vs cigarettes (p < .05). When designing youth focused ENDS education campaigns, practitioners should present novel facts in order to take advantage of large effect sizes. Evaluators of early campaign efforts to educate youth about these products may anticipate significant increases in health-related risk perceptions.

Willingness to pay for travel insurance as a risk reduction behavior: health-related risk perception after the outbreak of COVID-19

This study aims to identify the effects of health-related risk perception and sociodemographic characteristics on the willingness to pay (WTP) for travel insurance as a risk reduction behavior following the outbreak of COVID-19. Through the application of a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method, this study found several determinants for travel insurance price (i.e., risk perception toward traveling, perception about the influence of COVID-19, past travel insurance purchase experience, age, and education). The mean WTP was estimated to be approximately KRW 11,700 (USD 10.23). Several theoretical and managerial implications regarding risk perception and travel insurance are discussed.

Digital Communication at the Time of COVID-19: Relieve the Refugees’ Psychosocial Burden and Protect Their Wellbeing

The study aims to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of digital communication tools implemented by an Italian NGO during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency period, considering their relations with perception of health-related risk, sense of belonging to host community, psychological distress, and wellbeing of the refugees taken in charge by the association. The study was conducted through an anonymous questionnaire proposed to a group of 102 refugees. The results confirmed that by increasing the sense of belonging to the Italian community, the time refugees spent on digital communication negatively associated with their psychological distress and positively associated with their wellbeing. Refugees’ access to digital communication also increased their health-related risk perception that in turn raised their psychological distress. It specifically occurred when digital communication has been perceived as less affordable, i.e. as less clear, easy and reassuring. The results will be used to improve digital communication for health, educational, and proximity services dedicated to refugees.

Health-Related Risk Perceptions and Wage Compensation: Evidence from Turkey

In this paper, we estimate wage compensation of workers facing different risks adversely affecting their health and well-being based on individual evaluations of work environment by using the ad-hoc module of 2013 Household Labor Survey. Our results reveal that among various risk factors, only general risk of injury is compensated by a significant and positive premium. Informal workers and female wage earners do not receive additional payment working in risky environments. Allowing risk compensation to vary across wage dispersion, we find that positive compensations follow an inverse-u shape. We argue that in terms of unpleasant job attributes, the labor market in Turkey can be identified with labor segmentation rather compensating wage differentials.

Socioeconomic position and the health gradient in Cuba: dimensions and mechanisms

BackgroundTo throw light on the under-researched association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and health in Cuba, this study examined SEP gradients in health and their underlying mechanisms among urban Cuban adults aged 18–65.MethodsBy applying linear regressions to data from the 2010 National Survey on Risk Factors and Chronic Diseases, the analysis explored the SEP-health gradient along three SEP dimensions − education, occupation, and skin colour − using ten health measures: self-reported health (SRH), general and abdominal obesity, hypertension, high glucose, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and cumulative risk factors. Regressions also included behaviours and health-related risk perceptions (tobacco and alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and risk-related behaviours). It thus investigated the SEP-health gradient and its underlying mechanisms via both behaviours and health-related risk perceptions.ResultsOnce controlling for gender, age, marital status, region and provincial dummies, the analysis detected educational gradients in SRH (estimated coefficient [95% CI]: middle-level education = 3.535 [1.329, 5.741], p < 0.01; high-level education = 5.249 [3.050, 7.448], p < 0.01) that are partially explainable by both health-affecting behaviours (tobacco and alcohol consumption, diet, physical and sedentary activity) and risk perceptions. Using objective measures of health, however, it found no SEP-health gradients other than hypertension among people identified as having Black skin color (adjusted for demographic variables, 0.060 [0.018, 0.101], p < 0.01) and high cholesterol among those identified as having Mulatto or Mestizo skin color (adjusted for demographic variables, − 0.066 [− 0.098, − 0.033], p < 0.01).ConclusionsIn terms of objective health measures, the study provides minimal evidence for an SEP-health gradient in Cuba, results primarily attributable to the country’s universal healthcare system − which offers full coverage and access and affordable medications − and its highly developed education system.

Environmental change and health risks in coastal Semarang, Indonesia: importance of local indigenous knowledge for strengthening adaptation policies

ABSTRACT Climate and environmental change are currently in the forefront as global development issues due to their economic, societal and health impacts, and the complex ways these interact. Experience and perception play an important role regarding the overall nature and severity of the environmental change, as these shape coping behaviour. Therefore, more insight is needed into local health-related risk perception, knowledge and coping mechanisms. In Semarang, a low-lying coastal city in Indonesia, a concurrent mixed-methods study design was applied using a cross-sectional survey supplemented by six focus group discussions and eight semi-structured key informant interviews with village officers and health-care workers. Respondents exhibited high awareness of environmental change and impact on health, housing and livelihood, and acknowledged the role of human activity, yet insight in underlying disease mechanisms was low. Most coping mechanisms were mainly short-term due to financial limitations and the frequency and intensity of environmental events. Existing health educational programs should be expanded and incorporate local perception and knowledge, to optimise coping behaviour and strengthen population resilience to environmental change. Further research needs to focus on differences regarding perception and desired coping strategies between household members and individual vulnerability to environmental change.

Gender Differences in Environmental and Health-Related Risk Perception in Korea

Gender Differences in Environmental and Health-Related Risk Perception in Korea

Who feels a greater environmental risk? Women, younger adults and pro-environmentally friendly people express higher concerns about a set of environmental exposures

Health-related risk perceptions concerning environmental exposures reflect the public's awareness of certain environmental issues that may compromise their health. These perceptions may trigger coping strategies and self-protective behaviors, which are key for protecting people's health. With this study, we sought 1) to assess the general public's perceptions of risk from a set of environmental exposures compared with the assessment of experts; and 2) to build predictive models of the general public's risk perceptions using a comprehensive set of sociodemographic and psycho-environmental variables. We recruited a sample of 338 inhabitants (208 women, 45.8 years on average) of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country). Participants completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire comprising questions on general sociodemographic characteristics and on health-related behaviors, and several psycho-environmental scales assessing general environmental knowledge, nature relatedness, pro-environmental behavior, environmental concerns and place attachment. Additionally, we contacted 33 regional experts who also evaluated the risk associated with the given set of exposures. Risk scores assigned by participants ranged from 1.51 to 3.42 (out of 4) and were higher than those assigned by the experts. Nonetheless, the pattern of risk prioritization was similar in the two groups. Explanatory models accounted for small to moderate shares of the variance in environmental exposure risk (R2 = 0.05 to 0.17). The best predictors of risk perceptions were gender, age, environmental knowledge and egoistic environmental concerns. Biospheric concerns, nature relatedness and educational level hardly made any contribution. Assessment of past experiences with each environmental exposure, affective reactions towards them and psychological traits could enrich future explanatory models.

The tale of seeking treatment: A qualitative study of pulmonary tuberculosis patients

AimThe aims of the study were unravelling patients’ health-seeking behaviour pathways to seek medication in healthcare facilities and key factors that determined patients’ immediacy in seeking medical treatment.MethodBy involving 5 pulmonary TB patients who were undertaking treatment at Pegirian Primary Health Centre, Surabaya, Indonesia, the research was carried out using an explorative qualitative research design, and the chosen data collection technique was semi-structured interview.ResultsThe research findings demonstrated that all participants showed five rather similar health-seeking behaviour sequences, such as: (a) defining symptoms; (b) asking laypeople opinions on symptoms; (c) undertaking non-medical treatment to reduce the symptoms; (d) taking laypeople’s suggestions to visit healthcare facilities into consideration; (e) deciding to undergo treatment process. Several barriers that caused treatment delay were inaccurate symptom definition and poor health-related risk perception. Meanwhile, reinforcing factors were relatives’ appeal to seek treatment, the existence of comorbid/previous diseases, access to healthcare facilities, and increasing perceived severity of the symptoms.ConclusionResearch findings showed that participants performed similar health-seeking pathways. Hindering factors that caused treatment delay were mostly related to cultural-based illness definition and knowledge. Research findings would be potentially beneficial to local primary healthcare for designing interventions that encourage patients to seek professional help and reduce treatment delay.

The Tripartite Model of Risk Perception (TRIRISK): Distinguishing Deliberative, Affective, and Experiential Components of Perceived Risk.

Although risk perception is a key predictor in health behavior theories, current conceptions of risk comprise only one (deliberative) or two (deliberative vs. affective/experiential) dimensions. This research tested a tripartite model that distinguishes among deliberative, affective, and experiential components of risk perception. In two studies, and in relation to three common diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes), we used confirmatory factor analyses to examine the factor structure of the tripartite risk perception (TRIRISK) model and compared the fit of the TRIRISK model to dual-factor and single-factor models. In a third study, we assessed concurrent validity by examining the impact of cancer diagnosis on (a) levels of deliberative, affective, and experiential risk perception, and (b) the strength of relations among risk components, and tested predictive validity by assessing relations with behavioral intentions to prevent cancer. The tripartite factor structure was supported, producing better model fit across diseases (studies 1 and 2). Inter-correlations among the components were significantly smaller among participants who had been diagnosed with cancer, suggesting that affected populations make finer-grained distinctions among risk perceptions (study 3). Moreover, all three risk perception components predicted unique variance in intentions to engage in preventive behavior (study 3). The TRIRISK model offers both a novel conceptualization of health-related risk perceptions, and new measures that enhance predictive validity beyond that engendered by unidimensional and bidimensional models. The present findings have implications for the ways in which risk perceptions are targeted in health behavior change interventions, health communications, and decision aids.

건강운동 참여노인의 건강관련 위험인식, 자기효능감 및 건강실천행위의 구조적 관계

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of health-related risk perception and self-efficacy on health promotion behavior of elderly physical activity participants. It was conducted with 228 elders aged 65 or olders. The study have drew a conclusion as follows. First, Three was significantly differences in health promotion behavior between gender. Female elderly showed high scores on health promotion behaviors. Second, health-related risk perception influenced not significantly on health promotion behavior of elderly physical activity participants. Third, self-efficacy influenced positively on health promotion behavior of elderly physical activity participants. Fourth, health-related risk perception influenced negatively on self-efficacy.

Making energy visible: sociopsychological aspects associated with the use of smart meters

This study aims to improve the understanding of the sociopsychological and technological aspects that influence the use of smart meters—innovative electricity meters that provide real-time data on consumption and are instrumental in increasing energy efficiency. Few studies have examined the sociopsychological factors that influence their use. We argue that the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and other specific factors from the social psychology literature, such as perceived procedural justice and risk perception, can help understand what determines the use of smart meters. To empirically examine that, first a quantitative survey was conducted with 515 households with smart meters installed. Results indicate that smart meter use is influenced by subjective norms, perceived utility, health-related risk perception, procedural justice, and time of usage. In a second study, internet blogs discussing smart meters were analyzed. This study corroborated some of the results of the first study and suggested additional factors—such as perceived distributive injustice and loss of control and privacy-related risk perception—that may influence the use of smart meters.

Health Risk Perceptions and Consumer Psychology

This chapter outlines recent developments in the consumer psychology literature examining people's health-related risk perceptions. We first define risk, and discuss the importance of studying risk perceptions in the health domain. We integrate extant models proposed in social and health psychology and build a theoretical model for examining risk perceptions. We then describe the model in terms of the antecedents of health risk perceptions (e.g., motivational, cognitive, affective, contextual, and individual differences), their consequences (e.g., awareness and interest in the health hazard, trial and adoption of precautions or medical treatments, and subsequent behavior in terms of continued adoption or repetition, and word-of-mouth/recommendations of precautionary steps or treatments), and the factors that moderate the link between these two (e.g., financial, performance, psycho-social, and physiological risk). A primary contribution of our approach is to suggest that eliciting risk perceptions serves a persuasive role besides a measurement role, leading to the provocative question as to whether marketers should knowingly leverage their knowledge of how consumers assess risk to encourage behaviors leading to a healthier lifestyle. Implications for public policy makers, consumer welfare advocates, and commercial marketing companies are also discussed.

Maintaining Self-Serving Social Comparisons: Attenuating the Perceived Significance of Risk-Increasing Behaviors

Unrealistic optimism about future events is due in part to the belief that one’s behavior is less risky than that of one’s peers. The current investigation explores strategies that people use to maintain this self-serving belief. In two studies, subjects were given information about their peers challenging the notion that their own frequencies of engaging in several risk-increasing behaviors were lower than average. Subjects responded by reducing their estimates of how often they engaged in these behaviors, and by rating the behaviors as less relevant to health outcomes and less personally important to avoid (relative to a control group). There was evidence in Study 1 that subjects were less likely to attenuate the significance of a behavior if they lowered their estimate of how often they engaged in that behavior, indicating that these strategies are at least partially substitutable. Subjects in Study 1 also distorted their memory so that their new attitudes about the risky behaviors seemed congruent with their pre-manipulation attitudes. Study 2 showed that giving subjects information portraying their peers as exceptionally healthy does not eliminate unrealistic optimism. Implications of these findings for research on optimistic biases, social comparison, and health intervention are discussed. Despite efforts to inform the public about lung disease, alcoholism, heart disease, and AIDS, a substantial portion of the population still smokes, drinks excessive alcohol, possesses a high fat diet, and engages in unsafe sex. Most people know at least some of the deleterious effects of these

Sufficient Grounds for Optimism?: The Relationship Between Perceived Controllability and Optimistic Bias

Evidence that perceived controllability is associated with optimistic bias is reviewed. There is sufficient evidence that people are optimistically biased about negative events they perceive to be controllable. More work is needed to establish whether this is also true of positive events. There is evidence also that people often hold beliefs of their personal superiority on control-related dimensions. More experimental studies testing hypotheses about the mechanisms linking perceived control and optimistic bias are required. Future work should also expand the sophistication with which control is treated conceptually and empirically and the range of potential mechanisms examined.