Products and technologies provide us with significant lifestyle benefits but they can
also evolve into hazards and bring about concern for human health. A history of poor
regulatory performances has resulted in a public displeased with and skeptical of the
actors responsible for protecting the public against the unintended effects of progress.
It is within this historical and social context that the study explores the following
objectives: to understand people's responses to emerging health issues, of which there
is considerable knowledge uncertainty and little public awareness; to identify the
information needs regarding these issues, and to explore the role of government
disclosure for personal decision-making around these issues. Seven focus groups
were conducted in Hamilton, Ontario with community members from a range of
backgrounds: youth, faith, allophone immigrants, environmental, health, recreational,
and mixed. Two scenarios about potential hazards, i.e. a persistent pollutant and
extreme heatwaves from climate change, were used to generate discussion about
people's experiences with risk and knowledge. Results indicate that emerging health
issues are framed by lay individuals as a chronic societal phenomenon. Their
concerns about health and well-being, resiliency, and issue comprehension point to an
overarching preoccupation about social vulnerability, irrespective of the presence of
confirmed hazards. The analysis further revealed several roles for disclosure which
would allow for more capacity in personal decision-making; more transparent and
accountable regulatory processes, and which could lead to more trustworthy relations
between citizens and government. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/23781 |
| Date | 08 1900 |
| Creators | Moreau, Geneviève |
| Contributors | Elliot, Susan, Geography |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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