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Protective Responses to Household Risk: A Case Study of Radon Mitigation

Author

Listed:
  • James K. Doyle
  • Gary H. McClelland
  • William D. Schulze
  • Steven R. Elliott
  • Glenn W. Russell

Abstract

This study analyzes the effectiveness of a mass‐media radon information and testing campaign conducted in the Washington, D.C. area in the winter of 1988. Although an impressive number of test kits (approximately 100,000) were sold, the ultimate mitigation rates resulting from the campaign were extremely low. Analyses show that low mitigation rates cannot be explained by postulating that people's responses to radon are insensitive to the level of objective risk. They may instead be due to characteristics of the protective response required to reduce radon risk. Radon may be thought of as one of a family of household risks which have risk response profiles that make them particularly difficult for people to manage and remediate. Traditional information campaigns for such risks are likely to be ineffective; instead, they may require regulatory strategies or programs which provide active guidance and assistance.

Suggested Citation

  • James K. Doyle & Gary H. McClelland & William D. Schulze & Steven R. Elliott & Glenn W. Russell, 1991. "Protective Responses to Household Risk: A Case Study of Radon Mitigation," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(1), pages 121-134, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:riskan:v:11:y:1991:i:1:p:121-134
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1991.tb00582.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Gary H. McClelland & William D. Schulze & Brian Hurd, 1990. "The Effect of Risk Beliefs on Property Values: A Case Study of a Hazardous Waste Site," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 10(4), pages 485-497, December.
    3. F. Reed Johnson & Ralph A. Luken, 1987. "Radon Risk Information and Voluntary Protection: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 7(1), pages 97-107, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Neil D. Weinstein & Nancy E. Roberts & Kerry Kirk Pflugh, 1992. "Evaluating Personalized Risk Messages," Evaluation Review, , vol. 16(3), pages 235-246, June.
    2. Lugg, Andrew & Probert, Douglas, 1997. "Indoor radon gas: A potential health hazard resulting from implementing energy-efficiency measures," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 93-196, February.
    3. Fabien Gagnon & Mathieu Courchesne & Benoît Lévesque & Pierre Ayotte & Jean‐Marc Leclerc & Jean‐Claude Belles‐Isles & Claude Prévost & Jean‐Claude Dessau, 2008. "Assessment of the Effectiveness of Radon Screening Programs in Reducing Lung Cancer Mortality," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5), pages 1221-1230, October.
    4. R. William Field & Burton C. Kross & La Verle J. Vust, 1993. "Radon Testing Behavior in a Sample of Individuals with High Home Radon Screening Measurements," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(4), pages 441-447, August.

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