Masters
of Public Health
Risk
Perception, Communication
Prof. Patrick Wall
Dr. Aileen McGloin
Dr. Liam Delaney
Dr. Kenneth McKenzie
Module
Descriptor:
This is one of a series of
elective modules offered on the Masters in Public Health course. The overall
aim is to ensure that the student develops an understanding of the complex relationship
between risk perception and human behaviour. Often the public reaction to
health scares is out of proportion to the risk with the public being risk
averse to certain perceived risks whilst indifferent to other risks in society
that they are exposed to which have higher probability of occurrence, a
phenomenon widely noted in the psychological literature and called
"probability neglect". For example chronic diseases and obesity
associated with inappropriate diets are perceived differently to acute food
poisoning yet contribute far greater morbidity and mortality. This module will
help the student to understand how individuals process and interpret risk and
how to assist them put risk in proper perspective
presents major challenges to the public health fraternity.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module students should be able to:
- Identify overemphasised risks and neglected risks
- Understand the dynamics of risk perception and the
limitations of the Psychometric
- Model and Cultural Theory.
- Understand the arguments
in support of the importance of social trust,
- Understand the
difference between experts and the public,
- Describe the role of
emotions and affect.
- Describe the role of
risk communication in an integrated public health strategy
- Distinguish between
crisis communication & communication about chronic risk
Requirements
A basic knowledge of microbiology and infectious disease epidemiology is
desirable.
Assessment:
Assessment
takes the form of an essay and a 5,000-word project (50% each). Potential
project and essay titles will be available shortly.
Lectures
Lecture 1: Introduction to
Risk Perception (PGW)
Lecture 2: Theoretical
Psychology Models for Risk Perception (KM)
Lecture 3: Research Methods
I (LD)
Lecture 4: Research Methods
II (LD)
Lecture 5: Food and Risk
Perception (AM)
Lecture 6: Smoking and Risk
Perception (LD)
Lecture 7: Strategies for
Behavioural Change (KM)
Lecture 8: Strategies for
Behavioural Change (AM)
Lecture 9: Crisis Communication
(AM)
Lecture 10: Conclusion (PGW)
Reading
Lists
Lecture 1: Introduction to
Risk Perception (PGW)
*** Essential
**Useful
*Recommended
Lecture 2: Theoretical Psychology
Models for Risk Perception (KM)
*** Essential
Naidoo, J. &
Wills, J. (2000). Health Promotion –
Foundations for Practice.
Fraser, C. (2001).
Attitudes and Actions. In C. Fraser, B. Burchell, D. Hay, & G. Duveen
(eds), Introducing
Social Psychology.
French, D.P., Sutton, S.R.,
Marteau, T.M., & Kinmonth,
A.L. (2004). The impact of personal and
social comparison information about health
risk. British Journal of Health
Psychology, 9, 2, 187-200.
Payne, N., Jones, F., &
Harris, P.R. (2004). The role of perceived need within the theory of planned behaviour: A comparison of
exercise and healthy eating. British Journal of Health Psychology, 9,
4, 489-504.
Lecture 3: Research Methods
I (LD)
Lecture 4: Research Methods
II (LD)
*** Essential
TASHAKKORI, A. &
TEDDLIE, C. (1998). “Mixed methodology. Combining qualitative and quantitative
approaches”. Sage:
Wall,
P., Delaney, L., and McGloin (2006). "Frontier Methods in Food Risk
Perception".
**Useful
Raithatha, N.,
SLOVIC, P. (1987),
"Perception of risk", Science, 236, 280-285
*Recommended
BRANNEN, J. (2005). “Mixed
methods research: A discussion paper”. Retrieved 24 May 2006 from the ESRC
National Centre for Research Methods website:
http://www.ncrm.ac.uk/publications/methodsreview/MethodsReviewPaperNCRM-005.pdf
FIELDING, N. & SCHREIER
M. (2001). “ Introduction: On the compatibility between qualitative and
quantitative research methods”. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 2(1)
(February). Retrieved 24 May 2006 from the Forum: Qualitative Social Research
website: http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-e/inhalt1-01-e.htm
Lecture 5: Food and Risk
Perception (AM)
***Essential
Knox B (2000). Consumer perception and understanding of risk from food.
British Medical Bulletin; 56 (No. 1): 97-109
Miles S, Brennan M et al. (2004). Public worry about specific food
safety issues. British Food Journal; 106: 1: 9-22
Yeung RMW and Morris, J (2001) Food Safety Risk.
Consumer perception and purchase behaviour. British Food Journal; 103; 3;
170-186
**Useful
Magkos, F, Arvaniti, F and
Zampelas A (2006). Organic Food: Buying more safety
or just peace of mind? A critical review of the literature. Critical Reviews in
Food Science and Nutrition; 46: 23-56
Kuchler F, Variyam
JN (2003). Mistakes were made: misperceptions as a barrier to reducing
overweight (International Journal of Obesity; 27: 856-861.
Bowen DJ et al (2004). The relationship between perceived risk, affect
and health behaviours. Cancer Detection and Prevention; 28: 409-417
De Boer M et al (2005). Public Understanding Of Food Risk Issues and
Food Risk Messages on the
Green et al. (2005). Public understanding of food risks in four European countries: a qualitative
study European Journal of Public
Health, Vol. 15, No. 5, 523–527
Lecture 6: Smoking and Risk
Perception (LD)
***Essential
ONCKEN, C., MCKEE, S.,
KRISHNAN-SARIN, S., O’MALLEY, S. & MAZURE, C.M. (2005), "Knowledge and
perceived risk of smoking-related conditions: a survey of cigarette
smokers", Preventative Medicine, 40: 779-784
SLOVIC, P. (2000),
Rejoinder: The Perils of Viscusi’s Analyses of Smoking
Risk Perceptions, Journal of Behavioural Decision-Making, 13:273-276
SUTTON, S. (1998), How
Ordinary People in
VISCUSI, W.K. (2000),
"Comment: The perils of qualitative smoking risk measures", Journal
of Behavioural Decision Making, 13: 267-271
**Useful
ROSENDAHL, K.I.,
GALANTI, M.R., GILLJAM, H. & AHLBOM, A. (2005), "Knowledge about
tobacco and subsequent use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco among Swedish
adolescents", Journal of Adolescent Health, 37(3): 224-8
SLOVIC, P. (2000),
"What does it mean to know a cumulative risk? Adolescents’ perceptions of
short-term and long-term consequences of smoking", Journal of Behavioural Decision
Making, 13: 259-266
*Recommended
MYERS, D.G. (2001), "Do we fear the right things?", Observer,
14(10)
KOZLOWSKI, L.T., GOLDBERG, M.E. & YOST, B.A. (2000), "Measuring
smokers perceptions of the health risks from smoking light cigarettes",
American Journal of Public Health, 90(8): 1318-1319
STEPTOE, A. & WARDLE, J. (2001), Health Behaviour, Risk Awareness
and Emotional Well-Being in Students from Eastern Europe and Western Europe,
Social Science and Medicine, 53: 1621-1630
Lecture 7: Strategies for
Behavioural Change (KM)
*** Essential
Thompson, B.,
Fugelli, P. (2006). The
zero-vision: Potential side effects of communicating
health perfection and zero risk. Patient
Education and Counseling,
60, 267-271.
Lecture 8: Strategies for
Behavioural Change (AM)
***Essential
A synopsis of social
marketing . McFadyen and
Grier S and
Bryant CA (2005). Social marketing in public health. Annu.
Rev. Public Health; 26:319–39
Lecture 9: Risk/ Crisis
Communication (AM)
***Essential
Frewer LJ. Miles S, Marsh R (2002). The media and
genetically modified foods: evidence in support of social amplification of
risk. Risk Analysis; 22: 4: 701- 711
Frewer LJ (2004). The public and effective risk
communication. Toxicology letters; 149: 391-397
Frewer LJ, Scholderer J, Bredahl L (2003). Communicating about the risks and
benefits of genetically modified foods: the mediating role of trust. Risk
Analysis; 23: 6: 1117- 1133
Williams P (2004). Health risk communication using comparative risk
analysis. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology; 14:
498-515
Lecture 10: Conclusion (PGW)