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Public Perceptions of Environmental Public Health Risks in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Mikyong Shin

    (Environmental Public Health Tracking Section, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA)

  • Angela K. Werner

    (Environmental Public Health Tracking Section, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
    ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow at the Environmental Public Health Tracking Branch, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA)

  • Heather Strosnider

    (Environmental Public Health Tracking Section, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA)

  • Lisa B. Hines

    (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA)

  • Lina Balluz

    (Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA)

  • Fuyuen Y. Yip

    (Environmental Public Health Tracking Section, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA)

Abstract

Understanding public perceptions about environmental health hazards, exposures, and health impacts can help environmental public health practitioners to target and prioritize community activities, policy needs, and communication strategies. The online cross-sectional 2013 summer wave of the ConsumerStyles survey sampled U.S. adults and used questions from the Centers for Disease Control’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Program to measure public awareness of governmental efforts to track environmental exposures and links to health impacts, as well as perceptions of environmental health issues. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions examined the associations between demographic characteristics and level of awareness of government environmental public health efforts or level of concern about health risks associated with environmental pollutants. Responses were received from 4033 participants, yielding a response rate of 66.0%. More than half of respondents (57.8%) noted concerns about health risks from environmental pollutants. More than one-third (40.0%) of respondents reported awareness of government efforts. Nearly 40% of respondents felt that none of the health impacts listed in the survey were related to environmental issues. Multiple logistic regression models showed that non-Hispanic blacks, other races, females, people with a college or higher education, and people living in the Midwest or South regions were more likely than their counterparts to be concerned about how the environment affects their health. Future work should focus on improving risk communication, filling the information gap on environmental health issues, and understanding how perceptions change over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Mikyong Shin & Angela K. Werner & Heather Strosnider & Lisa B. Hines & Lina Balluz & Fuyuen Y. Yip, 2019. "Public Perceptions of Environmental Public Health Risks in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-13, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:6:p:1045-:d:216505
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Melissa Gallina & Allison Williams, 2014. "Perceptions of Air Quality and Sense of Place among Women in Northeast Hamilton, Ontario, Canada," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 2(3), pages 67-77, July.
    2. Yi Chen & Zhao Zhang & Peijun Shi & Xiao Song & Pin Wang & Xing Wei & Fulu Tao, 2017. "Public perception and responses to environmental pollution and health risks: evaluation and implication from a national survey in China," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 347-365, March.
    3. Piyapong Janmaimool & Tsunemi Watanabe, 2014. "Evaluating Determinants of Environmental Risk Perception for Risk Management in Contaminated Sites," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-23, June.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Seol-A Kwon & Hyun-Jung Yoo & Eugene Song, 2020. "Korean Consumers’ Recognition of Risks Depending on the Provision of Safety Information for Chemical Products," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-12, February.
    3. Anqi Yang & Shudong Yang, 2023. "Negative Sentiment Modeling and Public Legal Liability from Urban Green Space: A Framework for Policy Action in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Eleni G. Kleovoulou & Corina Konstantinou & Andria Constantinou & Eelco Kuijpers & Miranda Loh & Karen S. Galea & Rob Stierum & Anjoeka Pronk & Konstantinos C. Makris, 2021. "Stakeholders′ Perceptions of Environmental and Public Health Risks Associated with Hydrocarbon Activities in and around the Vasilikos Energy Center, Cyprus," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-15, December.

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