Work

The influence of environmental hazard maps on risk beliefs, emotion, and health‐related behavioral intentions

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: To test a theoretical explanation of how attributes of mapped environmental health hazards influence health-related behavioral intentions and how beliefs and emotion mediate the influences of attributes, 24 maps were developed that varied by four attributes of a residential drinking water hazard: level, proximity, prevalence, and density. In a factorial design, student participants (N = 446) answered questions about a subset of maps. Hazard level and proximity had the largest influences on intentions to test water and mitigate exposure. Belief in the problem's seriousness mediated attributes' influence on intention to test drinking water, and perceived susceptibility mediated the influence of attributes on intention to mitigate risk. Maps with carefully illustrated attributes of hazards may promote appropriate health-related risk beliefs, intentions, and behavior.

Source: Research in Nursing & Health

DOI: 10.1002/nur.21544

Author: Dolores J. Severtson

Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Language: English

Topic: Risk Perception and Management

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences