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Lee BM, Bearth A, Tighe RM, Kim M, Tan S, Kwon S. Biocidal products: Opportunities in risk assessment, management, and communication. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2024; 44:493-507. [PMID: 37244748 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In the coronavirus disease 2019 era, biocidal products are increasingly used for controlling harmful organisms, including microorganisms. However, assuring safety against adverse health effects is a critical issue from a public health standpoint. This study aimed to provide an overview of key aspects of risk assessment, management, and communication that ensure the safety of biocidal active ingredients and products. The inherent characteristics of biocidal products make them effective against pests and pathogens; however, they also possess potential toxicities. Therefore, public awareness regarding both the beneficial and potential adverse effects of biocidal products needs to be increased. Biocidal active ingredients and products are regulated under specific laws: the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act for the United States; the European Union (EU) Biocidal Products Regulation for the EU; and the Consumer Chemical Products and Biocide Safety Management Act for the Republic of Korea. Risk management also needs to consider the evidence of enhanced sensitivity to toxicities in individuals with chronic diseases, given the increased prevalence of these conditions in the population. This is particularly important for post-marketing safety assessments of biocidal products. Risk communication conveys information, including potential risks and risk-reduction measures, aimed at managing or controlling health or environmental risks. Taken together, the collaborative effort of stakeholders in risk assessment, management, and communication strategies is critical to ensuring the safety of biocidal products sold in the market as these strategies are constantly evolving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung-Mu Lee
- Division of Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea
| | - Angela Bearth
- Consumer Behavior, Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED), ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert M Tighe
- Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Manho Kim
- Korea Consumer Agency, Maengdong-myeon, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Simon Tan
- Global Product Stewardship, Research & Development, Singapore Innovation Center, Procter & Gamble (P&G) International Operations, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Seok Kwon
- Global Product Stewardship, Research & Development, Singapore Innovation Center, Procter & Gamble (P&G) International Operations, Singapore, Singapore
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Berg SH, Shortt MT, Thune H, Røislien J, O'Hara JK, Lungu DA, Wiig S. Differences in comprehending and acting on pandemic health risk information: a qualitative study using mental models. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1440. [PMID: 35902839 PMCID: PMC9334540 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13853-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A worldwide pandemic of a new and unknown virus is characterised by scientific uncertainty. However, despite this uncertainty, health authorities must still communicate complex health risk information to the public. The mental models approach to risk communication describes how people perceive and make decisions about complex risks, with the aim of identifying decision-relevant information that can be incorporated into risk communication interventions. This study explored how people use mental models to make sense of scientific information and apply it to their lives and behaviour in the context of COVID-19. Methods This qualitative study enrolled 15 male and female participants of different ages, with different levels of education and occupational backgrounds and from different geographical regions of Norway. The participants were interviewed individually, and the interview data were subjected to thematic analysis. The interview data were compared to a expert model of COVID-19 health risk communication based on online information from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Materials in the interview data not represented by expert model codes were coded inductively. The participants’ perceptions of and behaviours related to health risk information were analysed across three themes: virus transmission, risk mitigation and consequences of COVID-19. Results The results indicate that people placed different meanings on the medical and scientific words used by experts to explain the pandemic (e.g., virus transmission and the reproduction number). While some people wanted to understand why certain behaviour and activities were considered high risk, others preferred simple, clear messages explaining what to do and how to protect themselves. Similarly, information about health consequences produced panic in some interviewees and awareness in others. Conclusion There is no one-size-fits-all approach to public health risk communication. Empowering people with decision-relevant information necessitates targeted and balanced risk communication. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13853-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siv Hilde Berg
- Centre for Resilience in Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholmsgate 43, 4021, Stavanger, Norway.
| | - Marie Therese Shortt
- Centre for Resilience in Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholmsgate 43, 4021, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Henriette Thune
- Centre for Resilience in Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholmsgate 43, 4021, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Jo Røislien
- Centre for Resilience in Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholmsgate 43, 4021, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Jane K O'Hara
- School of Healthcare, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Daniel Adrian Lungu
- Centre for Resilience in Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholmsgate 43, 4021, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Siri Wiig
- Centre for Resilience in Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholmsgate 43, 4021, Stavanger, Norway
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Burger J. Ecocultural attributes are important components of perceptions of the importance of coastal beaches of conservation concern. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:153571. [PMID: 35122856 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sandy beaches along coasts and bays are prime real estate for houses and condominiums, marinas, recreation, and tourism for people living in urban and suburban areas within a hundred km of coasts. Human encroachment and disturbance can be a determinant of success of animals in human-impacted systems, particularly shorebirds. Understanding perceptions of people visiting critical habitats can aid in conservation of shorebirds and associated ecosystems, as well as improving the human experience. This paper examines valuation of ecological resources and ecocultural attributes of visitors to 9 beaches on the New Jersey shore of Delaware Bay during a shorebird migratory stopover period. Ecocultural attributes are those cultural activities or experiences that require an intact ecosystem to be optimal, including activities of recreational, aesthetic or spiritual importance. Using a Likert scale, interviewees (N = 279) rated the importance of shorebirds and/or horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus, ambiance, existence, aesthetics, the beach itself, and recreational activities (photography, birding, and fishing) to the Bay and to their experience. Although shorebirds/crabs were rated as most important (mean rating well over 4.0 out of 5); ecocultural attributes (ambience, existence, aesthetics, the beach itself) were rated higher (rating well over 3) than recreation, hardcore or casual birding, photography (mean rating around 3) and fishing (rating less than 2). Although some ratings of these resources and attributes were positively correlated, many values for birds and/or crabs were not correlated with the ecocultural attributes. Women rated most resources and ecocultural attributes higher than did men, and older people rated them higher than younger interviewees. It was unexpected that the ecocultural attributes played so heavily in the attractiveness of the beach. The importance and implication of these findings are discussed for management and conservation of these beaches, including the importance of ecocultural resources within a context of local community involvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Burger
- Division of Life Sciences, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Pinelands Field Station, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States of America.
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Comparing Expert and Local Community Perspectives on Flood Management in the Lower Mono River Catchment, Togo and Benin. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14101536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Recurrent floods have become a major problem in the transboundary Lower Mono River catchment of Togo and Benin, causing more damage and loss of life than any other disaster in the area. The level of understanding about floods and their management can be as diverse as the groups within the communities and thus can present a variety of perspectives. People tend to perceive flood risk and management differently due to their proximity to flood-prone areas and their level of vulnerability as well as their capacity to adapt. Therefore, this study explores the specific perspectives of local communities and experts on floods in the transboundary Mono catchment, which can help to inform better adaptation strategies according to the contexts of each community. We conducted series of focus groups discussions (FGDs) using the Actors, Resources, Dynamics, and Interactions (ARDI) framework to develop mental models of flood management. This approach allowed us to identify the causes and impact of flooding in the area, and to describe the actors and effects of flood events on the main natural resources as well as the dynamics and interactions that drive change and influence flood management in the study area. The results indicate that the perceptions of local communities and experts show both similarities and differences. These differences include (1) perceptions of relevant direct actors, (2) perceptions of resources at stake, and (3) actor-specific resource utilization. Considering these dissimilar views between expert and local community knowledge systems appears to be an important contributing factor to improving flood mitigation efforts in the catchment. Adapting risk communication and measures taken for flood management in accordance with the perceptions of affected communities could greatly increase success, with positive long-term effects for the involved institutions and communities regarding mutual trust-building.
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Khan S, Mishra J, Ahmed N, Onyige CD, Lin KE, Siew R, Lim BH. Risk communication and community engagement during COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION : IJDRR 2022; 74:102903. [PMID: 35313476 PMCID: PMC8925315 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.102903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In today's information age, both excess and lack of information can cause a disaster. COVID-19 pandemic not only highlighted the significance of risk communication but also pointed out several unintended and distressing consequences due to information gaps and miscommunications. Despite facing a common threat, the local communities suffered differential impacts during the pandemic. This paper classifies the nature of risk communications experienced across different countries into three categories, namely: inadequate, ideal, and infodemic risk communication that influenced the local perceptions and responses. It further argues that inadequately planned risk communications tend to create new risks and compromise the efforts towards managing a disaster. As global risks are responded locally, there is a need for more inclusive and engaging risk communication that involves communities as responsible stakeholders who understand, plan, and respond to risks to increase their propensity for resilience during disasters and crisis situations.
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MacDonald Gibson J, III FS, Wood E, Lockhart S, Bruine de Bruin W. Private Well Testing in Peri-Urban African-American Communities Lacking Access to Regulated Municipal Drinking Water: A Mental Models Approach to Risk Communication. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2022; 42:799-817. [PMID: 34342023 PMCID: PMC9292044 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Majority African-American neighborhoods on the edges of North Carolina municipalities are less likely than white peri-urban neighborhoods to be served by a community system regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. These households rely on unregulated private wells, which are at much higher risk of contamination than neighboring community water supplies. Yet, risk awareness of consuming well water is low, and no prior research has tested risk communication interventions for these communities. We present a randomized-controlled trial of an oversized postcard to promote water testing among this audience. The postcard design followed the mental models approach to risk communication. To our knowledge, this is the first U.S. randomized-controlled trial of a mailed communication to promote water testing in any audience and one of few trials of the mental models approach. We evaluated the postcard's effects on self-reported water testing with and without a free water test offer (vs. no-intervention control) via a survey mailed one month after the interventions. The combined communication and free test doubled the odds of self-reported water testing, compared to the control group (p = 0.046). It increased the odds of testing by 65%, compared to the free test alone. Recall of receiving a postcard about water testing increased the odds of self-reported testing twelve-fold (p < 0.001). Although these results suggest that targeted risk information delivered by mail can promote water testing when paired with a free test, the mechanism remains unclear. Additional research on beliefs influencing perceptions about well water may yield interventions that are even more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational HealthSchool of Public Health, Indiana UniversityBloomingtonINUSA
| | | | | | | | - Wändi Bruine de Bruin
- Sol Price School of Public Policy and Department of PsychologyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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Tailored communication changes consumers’ attitudes and product preferences for genetically modified food. Food Qual Prefer 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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8
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Claassen L, Hartmann J, Wuijts S. How to Address Consumers' Concerns and Information Needs about Emerging Chemical and Microbial Contaminants in Drinking Water; The Case of GenX in The Netherlands. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10615. [PMID: 34682361 PMCID: PMC8535398 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The perceived safety of tap water is an important condition for consumers to drink it. Therefore, addressing consumers' concerns should be included in the roadmap towards the UN SDG 6 on safe drinking water for all. This paper studies consumers' information needs regarding emerging contaminants in drinking water using a mental model approach for the development of targeted risk communication. As most consumers expect safe drinking water, free of contamination, communication on emerging contaminants may increase concerns. Here, we showed that communication strategies better tailored to consumers' information needs result in smaller increases in risk perception compared with existing strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liesbeth Claassen
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; (L.C.); (S.W.)
| | - Julia Hartmann
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; (L.C.); (S.W.)
- Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne Wuijts
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; (L.C.); (S.W.)
- Utrecht Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, Utrecht University, Newtonlaan 231, 3584 BH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Balog‐Way D, McComas K, Besley J. The Evolving Field of Risk Communication. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2020; 40:2240-2262. [PMID: 33084114 PMCID: PMC7756860 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The 40th Anniversary of the Society for Risk Analysis presents an apt time to step back and review the field of risk communication. In this review, we first evaluate recent debates over the field's current state and future directions. Our takeaway is that efforts to settle on a single, generic version of what constitutes risk communication will be less productive than an open-minded exploration of the multiple forms that comprise today's vibrant interdisciplinary field. We then review a selection of prominent cognitive, cultural, and social risk communication scholarship appearing in the published literature since 2010. Studies on trust in risk communication messengers continued to figure prominently, while new research directions emerged on the opportunities and critical challenges of enhancing transparency and using social media. Research on message attributes explored how conceptual insights particularly relating to framing, affective and emotional responses, and uncertainty might be operationalized to improve message effectiveness. Studies consistently demonstrated the importance of evaluation and how varying single attributes alone is unlikely to achieve desired results. Research on risk communication audiences advanced on risk perception and multiway engagement with notable interest in personal factors such as gender, race, age, and political orientation. We conclude by arguing that the field's interdisciplinary tradition should be further nurtured to drive the next evolutionary phase of risk communication research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John Besley
- Department of Advertising and Public RelationsMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
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Chen J. Risk communication in cyberspace: a brief review of the information-processing and mental models approaches. Curr Opin Psychol 2020; 36:135-140. [PMID: 32679482 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Effective risk communication in cyberspace is critical for users to understand the potential security risks and make secure decisions. Two approaches to risk communication originating from psychology, the human information-processing approach and the mental-models approach, have been widely applied in other research fields of risk communication. The human information-processing approach characterizes the human as a communication system, with risk-communication information from a source delivered to the receiver, who processes the information via various stages. The mental-models approach emphasizes the importance of understanding experts' and non-experts' mental models, comparing these models, and drafting and evaluating risk-communication messages. With an overview of these two approaches and their applications, the goal of this paper is to provide insights for future use of these approaches in cybersecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.
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11
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Bearth A, Siegrist M. Psychological factors that determine people's willingness-to-share genetic data for research. Clin Genet 2019; 97:483-491. [PMID: 31833061 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Of all the information that we share, health and genetic data might be among the most valuable for researchers. As data are handled as particularly sensitive information, a number of pressing issues regarding people's preferences and privacy concerns are raised. The goal of the present study was to contribute to an understanding of people's reported willingness-to-share genetic data for science (WTS). For this, predictive psychological factors (eg, risk and benefit perceptions, trust, knowledge) were investigated in an online survey (N = 416). Overall, participants seemed willing to provide their genetic data for research. Participants who perceived more benefits associated with data sharing were particularly willing to share their data for research (β = .29), while risk perceptions were less influential (β = -.14). As participants with higher knowledge of the potential uses of genetic data for research perceived more benefits (β = .20), WTS can likely be improved by providing people with information regarding the usefulness of genetic data for research. In addition to knowledge and perceptions, trust in data recipients increased people's willingness-to-share directly (β = .24). Especially in the sensitive area of genetic data, future research should strive to understand people's shifting perceptions and preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Bearth
- Consumer Behavior, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Siegrist
- Consumer Behavior, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Boase NJ, White MP, Gaze WH, Redshaw CH. Why don't the British eat locally harvested shellfish? The role of misconceptions and knowledge gaps. Appetite 2019; 143:104352. [PMID: 31319093 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Although the UK consumes a substantial amount of shellfish, most is imported (e.g. prawns), while locally harvested molluscs and crustaceans (e.g. mussels, crab) tend to be exported. This study aimed to investigate whether a low rate of local shellfish consumption in the UK is due to misunderstandings or knowledge gaps about the potential health and environmental risks and benefits of consumption. Following the Mental Models Approach, the present paper reveals: 1) qualitative results from 26 stakeholder/public interviews which identified 10 key misunderstandings and knowledge gaps, including incorrect beliefs about health risks and a lack of knowledge about the relative environmental benefits compared to other foods (key misunderstandings included some parts of a crab are poisonous if eaten, and the majority of UK shellfish is farmed), and 2) quantitative results from a survey (n = 1,433) that explored the degree to which these misunderstandings and knowledge gaps may influence consumption intentions in the wider UK population. Survey results suggested the number of misunderstandings and knowledge gaps significantly predicted shellfish consumption intentions even after controlling for demographics, food related values, and past consumption behaviour. Path analyses revealed their impact on intentions was partially mediated via Theory of Planned Behaviour variables. Results could inform information campaigns supporting consumers to make more informed decisions regarding a group of foods that are potentially both healthy and relatively environmentally friendly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick J Boase
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK.
| | - Mathew P White
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK.
| | - William H Gaze
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK
| | - Clare H Redshaw
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3HD, UK
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Stillo F, Bruine de Bruin W, Zimmer C, Gibson JM. Well water testing in African-American communities without municipal infrastructure: Beliefs driving decisions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 686:1220-1228. [PMID: 31412518 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Some peri-urban African-American communities in North Carolina remain excluded from nearby municipal water service, forcing them to rely on unregulated private wells. Despite evidence of elevated drinking water contamination risks in these communities, water monitoring is rare. To identify factors influencing decisions to test private wells, we developed and administered a survey to residents of affected areas. A factor analysis identified three constructs significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of water testing: (1) the misconception that contaminants can be detected by sensory perception, (2) concerns about costs of testing and/or water treatment, and (3) not knowing how to get a water test or having time to do so. Increased knowledge about how to test and the importance of testing was significantly associated with a decreased concern about costs which, in turn, was significantly associated with an increased odds of testing. These results suggest the need for targeted risk communications that correct the misperception that contaminants can be tasted, smelled, or seen. The results also suggest the need for clear information about how to get a water test and for low-cost testing programs. Increased monitoring could empower residents to take protective actions and potentially mobilize political support for water service extensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Stillo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Wändi Bruine de Bruin
- Business School and Centre for Decision Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom; Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Catherine Zimmer
- HW Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
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Fisher JA, McManus L, Cottingham MD, Kalbaugh JM, Wood MM, Monahan T, Walker RL. Healthy volunteers' perceptions of risk in US Phase I clinical trials: A mixed-methods study. PLoS Med 2018; 15:e1002698. [PMID: 30457992 PMCID: PMC6245523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is limited research on healthy volunteers' perceptions of the risks of Phase I clinical trials. In order to contribute empirically to long-standing ethical concerns about healthy volunteers' involvement in drug development, it is crucial to assess how these participants understand trial risks. The objectives of this study were to investigate (1) participants' views of the overall risks of Phase I trials, (2) their views of the risk of personally being harmed in a trial, and (3) how risk perceptions vary across participants' clinical trial history and sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS AND FINDINGS We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed semi-structured interviews conducted with 178 healthy volunteers who had participated in a diverse range of Phase I trials in the United States. Participants had collective experience in a reported 1,948 Phase I trials (mean = 10.9; median = 5), and they were interviewed as part of a longitudinal study of healthy volunteers' risk perceptions, their trial enrollment decisions, and their routine health behaviors. Participants' qualitative responses were coded, analyzed, and subsequently quantified in order to assess correlations between their risk perceptions and demographics, such as their race/ethnicity, gender, age, educational attainment, employment status, and household income. We found that healthy volunteers often viewed the overall risks of Phase I trials differently than their own personal risk of harm. The majority of our participants thought that Phase I trials were medium, high, or extremely high risk (118 of 178), but most nonetheless felt that they were personally safe from harm (97 of 178). We also found that healthy volunteers in their first year of clinical trial participation, racial and ethnic minority participants, and Hispanic participants tended to view the overall trial risks as high (respectively, Jonckheere-Terpstra, -2.433, p = 0.015; Fisher exact test, p = 0.016; Fisher exact test, p = 0.008), but these groups did not differ in regard to their perceptions of personal risk of harm (respectively, chi-squared, 3.578, p = 0.059; chi-squared, 0.845, p = 0.358; chi-squared, 1.667, p = 0.197). The main limitation of our study comes from quantitatively aggregating data from in-depth interviews, which required the research team to interpret participants' nonstandardized risk narratives. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that healthy volunteers are generally aware of and reflective about Phase I trial risks. The discrepancy in healthy volunteers' views of overall and personal risk sheds light on why healthy volunteers might continue to enroll in clinical trials, even when they view trials on the whole as risky.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill A. Fisher
- Department of Social Medicine and Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lisa McManus
- Department of Social Medicine and Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Marci D. Cottingham
- Department of Sociology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Julianne M. Kalbaugh
- Department of Social Medicine and Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Megan M. Wood
- Department of Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Torin Monahan
- Department of Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rebecca L. Walker
- Department of Social Medicine and Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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VanDyke MS, King AJ. Using the CAUSE Model to Understand Public Communication about Water Risks: Perspectives from Texas Groundwater District Officials on Drought and Availability. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2018; 38:1378-1389. [PMID: 29207442 DOI: 10.1111/risa.12950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Public communication about drought and water availability risks poses challenges to a potentially disinterested public. Water management professionals, though, have a responsibility to work with the public to engage in communication about water and environmental risks. Because limited research in water management examines organizational communication practices and perceptions, insights into research and practice can be gained through investigation of current applications of these risk communication efforts. Guided by the CAUSE model, which explains common goals in communicating risk information to the public (e.g., creating Confidence, generating Awareness, enhancing Understanding, gaining Satisfaction, and motivating Enactment), semistructured interviews of professionals (N = 25) employed by Texas groundwater conservation districts were conducted. The interviews examined how CAUSE model considerations factor in to communication about drought and water availability risks. These data suggest that many work to build constituents' confidence in their districts. Although audiences and constituents living in drought-prone areas were reported as being engaged with water availability risks and solutions, many district officials noted constituents' lack of perceived risk and engagement. Some managers also indicated that public understanding was a secondary concern of their primary responsibilities and that the public often seemed apathetic about technical details related to water conservation risks. Overall, results suggest complicated dynamics between officials and the public regarding information access and motivation. The article also outlines extensions of the CAUSE model and implications for improving public communication about drought and water availability risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S VanDyke
- Department of Communication, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, USA
| | - Andy J King
- College of Media and Communication, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
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Environment and Human Health: The Challenge of Uncertainty in Risk Assessment. GEOSCIENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences8010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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