Risk Perception
Public perception of risk exerts an important influence on the risk
management decision-making process. As a discipline, risk perception
involves the study of the factors associated with and the nature
of judgments surrounding risks to health. Risk perceptions
involve intuitive processes reflecting an array of psychological,
social, and demographic factors. For example, risk perceptions
have been found to vary according to the level of knowledge surrounding
the hazard, the amount of dread associated with its consequences,
personal values and beliefs, gender and age group, as well as the
nature of media coverage surrounding the issue. It is often
found that expert and public determinations of risk are discordant. Indeed,
expert determinations of risk typically reflect scientific or analytical
processes whereas public determinations of risk reflect such variety
of inputs above. This discrepancy in risk perceived can often
lead to difficulties in risk communications or in the acceptability
of risk management decisions made by regulators and health officials. A
clearer understanding of how the public forms perceptions of health
risks will aid in the design of population health risk management
efforts.
In Canada, two large studies of health risk perception have been
conducted. The first survey was conducted in 1992 (Krewski
et al. 1995a; 1995b) and the second in 2004 (Krewski et al. 2005;
2006). The most recent, 2004, survey evaluated health risk
perceptions in a national sample of 1,503 Canadians. The results
indicated, when evaluating level of risk perceived for thirty specific
hazards, that Canadians tended to perceive behavioural risks, such
as those associated with cigarette smoking, obesity, and unprotected
sex, as posing the greatest risk to the health of Canadians. In
contrast, potential health risks associated with the use of medical
devices or therapies, such as natural health products, laser eye
surgery, and vaccines, were perceived the lowest. Level of
risk perceived was found to vary by gender, age group, and level
of educational attainment where women, older respondents, and respondents
with less education tended to report risk as being higher than their
counterparts. Risk perceptions were also found to vary by geographical
region of residence. The news media was most often cited as
the most frequently used source of information about health risks. This
was followed by medical doctors and the internet. In contrast,
medical doctors and university scientists/scientific journals were
cited as the most credible information source. Lastly, nearly
half (45%) of respondents indicated that a risk-free environment
is an attainable goal in Canada.
References:
Krewski D, Slovic P, Bartlett S. et al. 1995a. Health risk
perception in Canada I: rating hazards, sources of information
and responsibility for health protection. Human and Ecological Risk
Assessment 1:117-132.
Krewski D, Slovic P, Bartlett S et al. 1995b. Health risk
perception in Canada II: worldviews, attitudes and opinions.
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 1:231-248.
Krewski D, Lemyre L, Turner MC, Lee JEC, Dallaire C, Bouchard L,
Brand K, Mercier P. 2005. Project 2.1: National Survey of Health
Risk Perception and Acceptability in Canadians. In: Public
Perception and Acceptable Levels of Health Risk among Canadians (Krewski
D, Lemyre L, Dallaire C, Bouchard L, Brand K, Mercier P). Contract
report prepared for Health Canada, Institute of Population Health,
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Krewski D, Lemyre L, Turner MC, Lee JEC, Dallaire C, Bouchard L,
Brand K, Mercier P. 2006. Public Perception of Population Health
Risks in Canada: Health Hazards and Sources of Information. Human
and Ecological Risk Assessment12:626-644.
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