scholarly journals Measuring Behavior and Risk Perception to Inform Children’s Exposure Assessments and Communication Strategies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alma Anides Morales ◽  
Diego Huerta ◽  
Monica Ramirez-Andreotta
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Student Behavior ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Spatial Behavior ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Border Town ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
School Events

Abstract Background: Waste management challenges, including transboundary sanitary sewage overflows (SSOs), have continuously been of concern along the US-Mexico border region. Sewage contamination contains high concentrations of pathogens excreted in human and animal feces increasing health-related risks and hindering quality of life. Limited literature exists on environmentally related risk perception studies in rural border town thus we aim to better understand risk perception in a rural border town school community after experiencing adjacent sewage effluent. Methods: This paper aims to characterize students’ spatial behavior and hand/object-to-mouth patterns to inform a risk assessment. Risk assessments often use published human behavior parameter values that may not be culturally or geographically representative. Parents and school staff were surveyed during several school events and provided with a link to an online survey. Results: Reported student behavior show a lower hand/object-to-mouth frequency for children ages 4-11, and a wider range of hand-to-mouth frequency for students ages 12-16, when compared to other values in the literature. Offensive odors, negative feelings, and general concerns mainly using informal language were frequently cited. Conclusions: Findings suggest a lack of information and understanding around SSOs, as well as a lack of communication, could contribute to a perceived low-risk or uncertainty around these events. Risk perception is a critical factor of vulnerability, thus effectively disseminating culturally appropriate risk information is an important part in decreasing exposure.

scholarly journals Hydrogeological and Climatological Risks Perception in a Multi-Hazard Environment: The Case of Greece

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Papagiannaki ◽  
Diakakis ◽  
Kotroni ◽  
Lagouvardos ◽  
Andreadakis
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Threat Perceptions ◽  
Disaster Experience ◽  
Public Risk ◽  
Impact Events ◽  
Time Awareness

Climate-related hazards, such as wildfires and hydrogeological phenomena, cause extensive damages and casualties around the world. Despite the recent advances and technologies for risk mitigation, it is acknowledged that public risk perception is a critical factor for these tools to succeed. Greece and the broader Eastern Mediterranean is an area where, despite the diversity of natural disasters, there is a lack of understanding of the hazard types that people are most concerned with and how they measure against other groups of hazards (i.e., geophysical). This work uses an online survey targeting Greek people, aiming to provide a better understanding of their perception of different natural hazards. Statistical results show that people consider climate-related hazards less dangerous and likely to occur than earthquakes, which occur often as zero-impact events. Laymen may thus underestimate certain risks, which may inhibit appropriate preparation. Disaster experience was found to increase threat perceptions and to motivate preparedness. However, in what concerns climate-related hazards, the effect of experience may fade out over time. Awareness activities were found to associate with higher emergency response efficacy. Males exhibit lower risk perception and higher coping appraisals. However, prioritization of risks is almost identical between genders. Implications for risk management are discussed.

scholarly journals The effect of risk communication on preventive and protective Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak: mediating role of risk perception

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Taghi Heydari ◽  
Leila Zarei ◽  
Ahmad Kalateh Sadati ◽  
Najmeh Moradi ◽  
Maryam Akbari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Communication ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
And Control ◽  
New Evidence

Abstract Background The COVID-19 outbreak is a global pandemic, during which the community preventive and protective behaviors play a crucial role in the containment and control of infection. This study was designed to contribute to the existing knowledge on how risk communication (RC) and risk perception (RP) affect protective and preventive behaviors (PPB) during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods The required data were extracted from a national online survey of Iranian adults aged 15 and older during March 15–19, 2020 (n=3213). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. Results The study findings reveal that RC has direct and indirect positive effects on PB. Furthermore, this study also provides new evidence indicating that RP mediates the relationship between RC and PB and there is a two-way relationship between RC and RP. These interactions may have impact on risk communication strategies which should be adopted during this pandemic. Conclusion The study findings have remarkable implications for informing future communications as well as interventions during this ongoing outbreak and subsequent national risk events.

scholarly journals Diabetes knowledge, risk perception, and quality of life among South Asian caregivers in young adulthood

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e001268
Author(s):  
Angela Koipuram ◽  
Sandra Carroll ◽  
Zubin Punthakee ◽  
Diana Sherifali
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Design And Methods

IntroductionPersons of South Asian descent have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The management of T2DM in the South Asian community has required the support of adult children, potentially impacting the quality of life, diabetes-related knowledge, and risk perception among these caregivers.Research design and methodsTo investigate diabetes-related knowledge, quality of life, risk perception, and actual risk of developing diabetes among South Asian young adults whose parents are living with T2DM. A cross-sectional study was conducted (n=150). An online survey was administered. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsThere was a statistically significant difference in diabetes-related knowledge between males and females (p<0.001). Males (in comparison to females) had a lower risk perception of developing diabetes (p=0.06). Further, risk perception and diabetes-related knowledge were positively associated with caregiver’s physical health (p=0.002).ConclusionFindings highlight the importance of providing gender-specific and culturally tailored diabetes educational interventions.

scholarly journals Psychological Factors Affecting Risk Perception of COVID-19: Evidence from Peru and China

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6513
Author(s):  
Fredy S. Monge-Rodríguez ◽  
He Jiang ◽  
Liwei Zhang ◽  
Andy Alvarado-Yepez ◽  
Anahí Cardona-Rivero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Communication ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Government ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Health Field

COVID-19 has spread around the world, causing a global pandemic, and to date is impacting in various ways in both developed and developing countries. We know that the spread of this virus is through people’s behavior despite the perceived risks. Risk perception plays an important role in decision-making to prevent infection. Using data from the online survey of participants in Peru and China (N = 1594), data were collected between 8 July 31 and August 2020. We found that levels of risk perception are relatively moderate, but higher in Peru compared to China. In both countries, anxiety, threat perception, self-confidence, and sex were found to be significant predictors of risk perception; however, trust in the information received by government and experts was significant only in Peru, whereas self-confidence had a significant negative effect only for China. Risk communication should be implemented through information programs aimed at reducing anxiety and improving self-confidence, taking into consideration gender differences. In addition, the information generated by the government should be based on empirical sources. Finally, the implications for effective risk communication and its impacts on the health field are discussed.

scholarly journals Substance Use and Cumulative Exposure to American Society: Findings From Both Sides of the US–Mexico Border Region

2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Borges ◽  
Cheryl J. Cherpitel ◽  
Ricardo Orozco ◽  
Sarah E. Zemore ◽  
Lynn Wallisch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
The Us ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
American Society ◽  
Us Mexico Border

scholarly journals Willingness of Taiwan’s Healthcare Workers and Outpatients to Vaccinate against COVID-19 during a Period without Community Outbreaks

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Shikha Kukreti ◽  
Mei-Yun Lu ◽  
Yi-Hsuan Lin ◽  
Carol Strong ◽  
Chung-Ying Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Rapid Test ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Preventive Behaviors ◽  
Vaccination Uptake ◽  
Community Outbreaks ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Significant Factors

To control the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), COVID-19 vaccination has been quickly developed. However, the COVID-19 pandemic will not be controlled if the COVID-19 vaccination uptake willingness is low. Therefore, the study aim was to explore the COVID-19 vaccination uptake willingness among the outpatient population and healthcare workers in Taiwan during the worldwide pandemic period without community outbreaks. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare workers (HCWs; n = 500; mean age = 32.96 years) of National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH) and outpatients (n = 238; mean age = 34.43 years) arriving at NCKUH. We used an online survey conducted between September 24 and 21 November 2020, for healthcare workers, and between 27 October and 31 December 2020, for the outpatient sample. Information regarding willingness to receive vaccination, willingness to rapid test, fear of COVID-19, risk perception, and preventive behaviors was collected in both samples; information regarding willingness to care for patients was collected in healthcare workers. Willingness to receive vaccination was the main variable in the present study; willingness to rapid test, willingness to care for patients, fear of COVID-19, risk perception, and preventive behaviors were the secondary variables in the study. The factors associated with vaccination willingness were identified through logistic regression analysis. The participants’ willingness to receive vaccination was low for both healthcare workers (23.4%) and the outpatient sample (30.7%). Similarly, their willingness to take rapid tests was low (23.6% for healthcare workers and 28.6% for outpatient sample). Risk perception (crude odds ratio (COR) = 1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03, 1.63), willingness to take rapid test (COR = 9.24; 95% CI = 5.76, 14.83), and preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors (COR = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.52, 3.56) were significant factors explaining the healthcare workers’ willingness to receive vaccination. Willingness to take a rapid test (COR = 8.91; 95% CI = 4.71, 16.87) and preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors (COR = 1.69; 95% CI = 1.09, 2.60) were significant factors explaining the outpatient sample’s willingness to receive vaccination. Willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 among HCWs and outpatients is low due to the relatively safe status of COVID-19 infection in Taiwan. These findings can help policymakers advocate for the effectiveness of and provide transparent information on COVID-19 vaccination uptake in a country/region with a relatively safe COVID-19 outbreak status.

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