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.

Hydro-meteorological risks perception and preparedness in a multi-hazard environment: The case of Greece

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katerina Papagiannaki ◽  
Michalis Diakakis ◽  
Vassiliki Kotroni ◽  
Kostas Lagouvardos ◽  
Emmanuel Andreadakis
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Coping Capacity ◽  
Meteorological Hazards

<p>Laymen’s awareness for the natural hazards and their perception of the associated risks at the local level have been acknowledged widely as key factor for the success of any risk mitigation initiative. It is therefore particularly beneficial to find out how people's risk perception is shaped in a multi-hazard environment, such as that of Eastern Mediterranean, and how it affects individual preparedness. To this end, we have conducted an online survey aimed at Greek citizens in order to better understand their risk perception among various hydro-meteorological hazards, including geophysical hazards for comparison, and to evaluate their coping capacity. The survey questionnaire received more than 2,300 responses from across Greece. The analysis of the questionnaire has been performed in the frame of the project “THESPIAN II – Development of synergistic and integrated methods and tools for monitoring, management and forecasting of Environmental parameters and pressures”.</p><p>Statistical results show that people consider hydro-meteorological hazards less worrying and dangerous than earthquakes. However, in contrast to earthquakes, it was found that increase in hydro-meteorological risks perception enhances preparedness i.e. the adoption of adequate protective measures, except of the private insurance coverage which was found to be purely a matter of economic criteria. Experience was found to have a significant impact on both risk perception and preparedness for all types of natural hazards. However, with respect to hydro-meteorological hazards, its effect decreases with time. Results also highlight the important role of a focused and coordinated effort by authorities and scientists to inform citizens and build a trustful relationship in motivating individual preparedness, as well as other interesting statistically significant relationships with participants demographics and other factors.</p>

scholarly journals The Relationships between Public Risk Perceptions of Climate Change, Environmental Sensitivity and Experience of Extreme Weather-Related Disasters: Evidence from Greece

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 2842
Author(s):  
Michalis Diakakis ◽  
Michalis Skordoulis ◽  
Eleni Savvidou
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Environmental Sensitivity ◽  
New Ecological Paradigm ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Disaster Experience ◽  
Public Risk

Climate change is one of the most pressing threats facing humanity in our times. Understanding public perceptions of climate change and its risks is the key to any mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Previous works discussed the influence of experiencing climate-related disasters, as well as the role of environmental sensitivity, but also acknowledged important regional variations, gaps and uncertainties. This work focuses on examining the relationship between personal disaster experience, risk perceptions of climate change and ideology with respect to the environment using the New Ecological Paradigm. The study exploits the results of a questionnaire survey in Greece, a characteristic example of the multihazard region of the Eastern Mediterranean. Results show that both direct disaster experience and a person’s views on the causes of recent disasters in the country are connected with environmental sensitivity and climate change risk perception in a positive way. Both factors are also correlated with views on the effects of climate change. The findings are in agreement with research outcomes in other areas of the world, showing the importance of disaster experience and the views on extreme events in influencing perceptions of climate change. The work contributes to the growing literature on risk perception of climate change and the role of natural hazards, by adding a new piece in the knowledge puzzle in the climate-sensitive and relatively data-poor region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Public Risk Perception Towards Power Generation by Municipal Waste Incineration

2020 ◽  
pp. 87-104
Author(s):  
Rui Zhao ◽  
Yuxin Huang ◽  
Yuyu Zhou ◽  
Meng Yang ◽  
Xinyue Liu
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Waste Incineration ◽  
Municipal Waste ◽  
Fuzzy Decision Making ◽  
Public Risk ◽  
Municipal Waste Incineration

Power generation by municipal waste incineration provides a template not only for waste reduction but also for energy recovery. However, incineration plants face considerably strong protests from local communities. In such context, this study investigates the public's risk perception towards an operating incineration plant by using a word-frequency-based decision making approach to provide insight into risk mitigation while enhancing public acceptance. An operating municipal waste plant located at Chengdu, Sichuan Province was used as a case study to examine the risk perception posed by the host communities. Face-to-face interviews through a structured questionnaire were applied to data collection. A word frequency analysis was used to identify the key factors that influence public's risk perception and construct a multi-attributive decision matrix for the risk assessment. Entropy-based fuzzy decision making was implemented to discriminate the risk semi-quantitatively. To alleviate possible conflicts, policy implications were given.

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.

Feeling Threatened by Immigrants: The Role of Ideology and Subjective Societal Status

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bollwerk ◽  
Bernd Schlipphak ◽  
Joscha Stecker ◽  
Jens Hellmann ◽  
Gerald Echterhoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Threat Perceptions ◽  
Contextual Determinants ◽  
Intergroup Conflicts ◽  
And Gender

Threat perceptions towards immigrants continue to gain importance in the context of growing international migration. To reduce associated intergroup conflicts, it is crucial to understand the personal and contextual determinants of perceived threat. In a large online survey study (N = 1,184), we investigated the effects of ideology (i.e., Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation), subjective societal status (SSS) and their interaction effects in predicting symbolic and realistic threat perceptions towards Middle Eastern immigrants. Results showed that ideology (higher RWA and SDO) and lower SSS significantly predicted both symbolic and realistic threat, even after controlling for income, education, age, and gender. Furthermore, ideology and SSS interacted significantly in predicting realistic threat, with higher levels of SDO and RWA enhancing the effect of SSS. In the discussion, we focus on the implications of our findings with respect to understanding societal conflicts, discuss methodological limitations, and provide directions for future research.

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 Investigating awareness, fear and control associated with norovirus and other pathogens and pollutants using best–worst scaling

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kata Farkas ◽  
Emma Green ◽  
Dan Rigby ◽  
Paul Cross ◽  
Sean Tyrrel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Terrorist Attack ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Best Worst Scaling ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Health Need ◽  
Levels Of Control

AbstractPollutants found in the water and air environment represent an ever-growing threat to human health. Contact with some air-, water- and foodborne pathogens (e.g. norovirus) results in gastrointestinal diseases and outbreaks. For future risk mitigation, we aimed to measure people’s awareness of waterborne and foodborne norovirus relative to other environment-associated pollutants (e.g. pesticides, bioaerosols, antibiotic resistant bacteria) and well-known risks (e.g. diabetes, dementia, terrorist attack). We used an online survey, which included a best–worst scaling component to elicit personal levels of control and fear prompted by norovirus relative to 15 other risks. There was a negative correlation between levels of fear vs. control for all 16 measured risks. Perceived infection control levels were higher amongst women compared to men and correlated with age and the level of qualification in both groups. Participants who had sought advice regarding the symptoms caused by norovirus appeared to have more control over the risks. Norovirus is associated with high levels of fear, however, the levels of control over it is low compared to other foodborne illnesses, e.g. Salmonella. Addressing this deficit in the public’s understanding of how to control exposure to the pathogen in an important health need.

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.

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