Previous studies have shown that low-income Latinos frequently drink bottled water instead of tap water and might be at increased risk for dental caries from unfluoridated bottled water. The goals of this study were to: 1) determine if a difference exists between grab samples of municipal tap water and bottled water used by families in Nogales, Arizona in chemical and microbial contaminants; 2) understand the risk perceptions these low-income families have about both their publically supplied tap water, bottled/vended water; and 3) examine whether families have adequate fluoride levels in their drinking water for optimal dental health. Tap and bottled water samples were collected from thirty of these households for analysis of drinking-water contaminants regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Bottled water included small (0.5 L) and large (3.8 L), individually sealed water bottles as well as water vended into reusable containers from self-service vending machines or from water stores. Some of the large bottles were purchased sealed, but had been previously opened and partially consumed by study participants. In addition to the 30 households mentioned above, an additional sixty low-income Latino households, who primarily drink bottled water, were also recruited for this study to complete a questionnaire on risk perceptions related to drinking water consumption, water storage practices, and fluoride supplementation. There were no significant differences in the concentration of chemical contaminants between tap, bottled and vended water, and none of the chemical concentrations exceeded USEPA regulations. Escherichia coli (E. coli) was confirmed in 3% (1/30) of tap, 0% (0/8) of sealed bottled, 40% (2/5) of previously opened bottled, and 35% (6/17) of vended water samples. One of the 3 samples collected directly from a vending machine had an E. coli concentration of 0.33 CFU/100 mL. None of the 10 samples collected directly from sealed bottles purchased directly from the store had any E. coli detected. While no significant differences were observed in the chemical quality of water samples, results suggest that secondary contamination in the home contributes to higher levels of E.coli in water from partially consumed larger water bottles or water stored in reusable containers. Families who reported cleaning large reusable water containers with soap or hot water had significantly lower E.coli (p=0.003) in their drinking water than those who rinsed with only water. Respondents viewed bottled water to be significantly safer to consume than tap water (p<0.001). On a Likert scale from 1 (low risk) to 5 (high risk), "drinking tap water in Nogales, Arizona" received an average score of 4.7, which was significantly higher than the average perceived risk of smoking (µ= 3.5, p<0.001) or of "drinking tap water in San Francisco, California" (µ= 3.4, p<0.001), and as risky as "drinking and driving" (µ= 4.8, p=1.00) and "drinking tap water in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico" (µ= 4.8, p=1.00). Additionally, 98% (88/90) of respondents feared that drinking local tap water could result in illness. The majority of respondents (79%, 71/90) did not drink their tap water because of fear of contamination and would drink their tap water if they knew it was safe, regardless of the taste (73%, 66/90).Fluoride was detected in 53% (16/30) of tap-water samples and only in one bottled-water sample. However, only 27% (8/30) of tap-water samples had fluoride levels within the recommended range (0.7-1.2 mg/L) by the American Dental Association for optimally fluoridated water. From multiple logistic regression, children in a household were less likely to have cavities if their parents reported using fluoridated mouthwash (p<0.001) or visited the dentist yearly (p<0.001). None of the participants reported discussing the type of water they drank or fluoride supplementation with any healthcare providers. Results suggest that secondary contamination in the home is contributing to significantly higher levels of bacteria in vended water stored in reusable containers. In addition, fear of illness from contamination of tap water is an important contributing factor to increased use of bottled water. Interventions could be developed to educate families about how to keep their reusable water containers clean, reduce perceived risks associated with tap-water consumption, and emphasize the importance of fluoride supplementation if families continue drinking bottled water.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Tuberculosis (TB) to be a global emergency (Baral, Karki & Newell, 2007). In KwaZulu-Natal 5704 TB cases were registered in 2009 (KwaZulu-Natal Uthukela Health District report, 2009). According to Mak, Mo, Cheung and Woo (2006) pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) has the longest history compared to other two types of infectious diseases which are HIV/AIDS and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The purpose of this study was to explore student nurses’ risk perceptions of contracting tuberculosis (TB) during their clinical placement in a selected KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing campus. The researcher used quantitative descriptive exploratory design. A questionnaire with closed and open ended questions was used to collect data from the respondents. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15. One hundred and thirty-two respondents participated in the study, 66 (50%) were first year students and 66 (50%) were second year students. The majority of the respondents were females n= 93 (70, 5%). The findings of the study indicated that student nurses perceived TB as a serious disease and they perceived themselves to be susceptible to contracting the disease during clinical placement. They also displayed good knowledge of preventive measures of risk perceptions, the highest mean score was 3, 79. The Fisher’s exact test was performed to establish a relationship between the variables, and it showed that there was a relationship between age and perceived barriers, p-value was 0,039. In conclusion, the respondents displayed relevant knowledge on TB preventive measures and positive perceptions of contracting TB, which will be the predisposing factors for behavioural change. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Small, tight-knit communities, are complex to manage from outside during a disaster. The township of Lyttelton, New Zealand, and the communities of Corsair Bay, Cass Bay, and Rapaki to the east, are especially more so difficult due to the terrain that encloses them, which caused them to be cut-off from Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island, barely 10 km away, after the Mw 7.1 Darfield Earthquake and subsequent Canterbury Earthquake Sequence. Lyttelton has a very strong and deep-rooted community spirit that draws people to want to be a part of Lyttelton life. It is predominantly residential on the slopes, with retail space, service and light industry nestled near the harbour. It has heritage buildings stretching back to the very foundation of Canterbury yet hosts the largest, modern deep-water port for the region. This study contains two surveys: one circulated shortly before the Darfield Earthquake and one circulated in July 2011, after the Christchurch and Sumner Earthquakes. An analytical comparison of the participants’ household preparedness for disaster before the Darfield Earthquake and after the Christchurch and Sumner Earthquakes was performed. A population spatiotemporal distribution map was produced that shows the population in three-hourly increments over a week to inform exposure to vulnerability to natural hazards. The study went on to analyse the responses of the participants in the immediate period following the Chrsitchurch and Sumner Earthquakes, including their homeward and subsequent journeys, and the decision to evacuate or stay in their homes. Possible predictors to a decision to evacuate some or all members of the household were tested. The study also asked participants’ views on the events since September 2010 for analysis.

This thesis is about global catastrophic risks and the conscious effect of such risks at the level of everyday life. Utilising R. D. Laing's concept of "ontological security", this thesis questions the extent to which risks that loom in the global environment cause a sense of ontological insecurity amongst individuals at the local-level. In addressing this question, this thesis responds to the theories of Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens who maintain that the contemporary age is marked both by the emergence of global risks that exist as the unintended consequences of modernisation and a greater sense of risk owing to how information about such risks is disseminated by the media. While no objection is made to the argument that the global environment has become more objectively threatening, this thesis questions whether individuals in fact perceive such threat in their daily lives. This argument rests on the view that global risks, in the main, lack a tangible dimension needed to elicit a sense of urgency. Seeking to ground the risk literature from the level of theoretical abstraction to that of lived experience, this thesis presents a case study of how risk is perceived in the tourist-dependent township of Akaroa. Despite the fact that New Zealand is generally seen as "safe" and "secure" and removed from the vicissitudes of global events, its economic reliance on international tourism ensures a susceptibility to external forces that disrupt global tourism flows. Given the recent publicity as to how such risks as climate change and peak oil may undermine international tourism in New Zealand, it is clear that areas that are particularly reliant on the international visitor market, like Akaroa, are significantly exposed to global events. This not only makes Akaroa an ideal case study in which to establish the extent to which global risks undermine ontological security in daily life, it also helps measure how seriously individuals in tourist-dependent areas consider the possibility of a substantial tourist decline.

Nutrition interventions are an effective way to improve the dietary habits and lifestyle choices and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The Researchers in the UK-SRP Community Engagement Core develop nutrition programs for communities affected by environmental pollutants. Risk communication is a discipline that can be used to develop targeted nutrition interventions that will yield positive behavior change. The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge, risk perception, and actions concerning environmental pollutants and nutrition behavior. Data was collected using a modified survey instrument based on the validated Environmental Health Engagement Profile (EHEP). Survey participants from diverse regions of the state included 1) health educators; 2) residents from a nonmetropolitan-non-Appalachian area; 3) a nonmetropolitan-Appalachian area; and 4) a metropolitan area. Results indicated a significant, positive correlation in all four groups between perception of environmental pollutants in a person’s surroundings and the extent of concern that pollutants cause adverse health effects (p < 0.01). Recognizing that participants see a link between environmental pollutants and their health allows nutrition researchers to develop targeted, effective nutrition interventions. This information will be useful in the development of future nutrition programs to improve the health of Superfund communities.

Goods that children come in contact with on a daily basis for example toys, electronics, textiles, household items, have attracted an increased attention in recent years because of a common occurrence of residues of potentially hazardous chemical substances. Some municipalities in Stockholm have developed plans for managing chemical risks and work systematically to phase out products containing hazardous substances. This thesis aims to contribute to an improved knowledge base for any future work with non-toxic nursery schools in Haninge. The study's focus is on the challenges encountered by conditions and problems of preschool personnel to manage chemical risks in early childhood environments. Primary data was collected through a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with both the preschool staff and practitioners working in the central organization of the municipality. Identified key scientific studies and theories related to the concepts of risk management, risk perception and risk communication were used to put the results of the study in a larger context. A thematic analysis was then performed using developed indicators of effective risk management related to, for example, risk perception, accountability and internal and external risk communication. The results from this study show that most of the indicators of effective risk management are not met in the current situation. For example, the communication failure and pre-school staff's discretion is limited by budget, procurement contracts and imperfect knowledge while there is no routine monitoring work to follow up requirements associated with procurement. Haninge municipality can improve the pre-school staff conditions including setting higher standards in procurement, focus on communication and information, be clearer in its guidelines on hazardous chemicals in children's everyday lives and develop follow-up work around the requirements.

The goal of this thesis was to reposition individual preparedness within a social environmental context. First, a theoretical model was developed to more accurately represent the social environmental considerations neglected in current preparedness research and policy. A series of three studies tested this model using a mixed-methods approach: First, subjective conceptualizations of preparedness were explored in a qualitative analysis (N = 12). Findings revealed that participants evaluated their readiness not in terms of prescribed activities, but perceptions about their current resourcefulness as well as past local hazards. Participants’ had positive social environments which also reinforced their perceived coping ability in future emergency events. Subsequent thesis studies investigated the role social environment further, using quantitative data. The second study explicitly tested whether perceptions of risk and coping could explain differences in preparedness based on demographic attributes linked to variations in social environment. Data from a survey examining Canadians perceptions regarding terrorism threats (N = 1503) revealed that greater anticipated response was significantly associated with increased age, as well as female gender, higher education levels, and higher income levels. Statistically significant differences in threat appraisals were also reported based on these demographic groupings. However, mediation analyses demonstrated that with the exception of gender, differences in anticipated response could not be explained via risk perceptions or perceived coping efficacy, suggesting that social environment’s role in preparedness is not related to the internal processes often targeted in current campaigns. The third study used a multilevel design to investigate the contextual role of neighbourhood social environment in anticipated emergency response. Results demonstrated that a more deprived social neighbourhood context was related to lowered anticipated emergency response. This relationship was maintained after controlling for significant individual-level factors such as previous experience and sociodemographics, highlighting the importance of neighbourhood social context in facilitating emergency preparedness. Taken together, these findings provide novel evidence that focusing preparedness strategies to primarily target internal processes is misguided, and that future research and policy must position preparedness efforts in the context of existing social environmental resources and barriers in order to build capacity for effective emergency response.

Effective risk communication is essential in the field of health to ensure patients understand the information being presented to them by medical professionals and appreciate the level of risk involved in treatments. Cardiovascular disease, being the leading cause of death worldwide, is relevant to consider when examining risk communication in a health setting. Those afflicted with cardiovascular ailments are both high in number and exposed to information communicating risk. This research aims to identify presentation formats that are more effective communicating risk information to recovering cardiovascular patients at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. The formats’ effectiveness is measured by gauging the population’s understanding of the material and perception of the information as it relates to risk and motivation. The research draws on Max Weber’s concept of rationality and subsequent scholars who developed social judgment theory, the heuristic-systematic model, expected utility theory, protection motivation theory, and the extended parallel process model. Utilizing an experimental research design, risk information handouts and questionnaires are distributed to, and completed by, a stratified sample of cardiovascular disease patients. Effective presentation formats are examined, and the results identify comparatively effective presentation formats for minimizing and maximizing risk perception. The results also identify presentation formats’ impact on a patient’s level of motivation to avoid / indulge in behaviours that may maximize or minimize risk. The results, synthesized herein, suggest a model (communicative cardiovascular physician-patient model of message preparation-perception), which may contribute to the effectiveness of risk communication between physicians and cardiovascular disease patients.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 290-305). / Microfiche. / xix, 305 leaves, bound ill., maps 29 cm

The thesis Risk Denial and Neglect: Studies in Risk Perception examines societal and individual attention to risks and focuses especially on the issue of neglect. Why do some risks get more attention than other risks and how is this difference in attention related to experts’ roles in society? What can explain people’s tendency to perceive risks as more pertinent to other people? These are some of the issues that are discussed in the thesis. The topics are of interest for, e.g., risk policies, risk management, and for designing campaigns aimed at minimizing risk-related behaviors. The dissertation is written within the field of economic psychology. The research questions are addressed in four separate papers based on three empirical studies. The Papers I and II focus on societal attention to risks. They address the issues of what risks are neglected and overemphasized in society and how the identification of risk is related to experts’ domain of expertise. Papers III and IV narrow down the discussion to individual processes of risk denial – why people tend to believe that risks are more pertinent to other people. The results show that experts in the present study tended to rate risks within their own domain as lower than other risks. They were more prone to act as promoters than protectors. In addition, the robust tendency of optimistic bias was shown to exist also for technological risks (related to the use of computers) and economic risks. Most people seem to hang on to their beliefs that risks are other people’s concerns – it simply won’t happen to them. The results of the present thesis suggest that the relevance of prior experience and the commonplaceness of the risk sources is an area that merits further investigation with respect to risk denial.