Decision Making at the cutting edge of Environmental Health: Red Tides

描述（由申请人提供）：自然环境危害，如赤潮，似乎在世界范围内增加。与其他压倒性的自然和人为环境风险（如全球变化）的例子一样，围绕这些新出现的环境威胁的科学提出的问题比它回答的问题更多，增加了涉及这些危害的决策的不确定性。目前，很少有人知道人们如何在不确定的环境健康危害的情况下作出决定。因此，我们没有必要的知识基础来设计适当的教育干预措施，以促进良好的决策。 拟议中的研究将解决知识的差距，在不确定的环境健康威胁的情况下，决策，使用基于理论的创新应用的联合分析。具体来说，我们将探讨a）知识和意识的有害藻华，佛罗里达赤潮，和B）的因素，影响决策的两个行为在赤潮的存在。佛罗里达赤潮是一个典型的例子，一个全球性的和新出现的环境危害与不确定的健康风险。佛罗里达赤潮可能会导致健康问题时，受污染的海鲜被食用和/或当污染的空气被呼吸。然而，这些后果的危险性是不确定的，赤潮危害的科学仍在发展中。因此，这是一个理想的模型，探讨在不确定的环境健康情况下影响决策的因素。在这项研究中，我们借鉴了决策的概念模型，使用的概念采纳过程模型（PAPM）。这个模型提供了一个框架，塑造我们的具体目标，研究设计和分析;并告知我们将如何使用研究结果为未来的教育活动。 本研究的具体目的为：目的一：利用PAPM阶段理论，评估民众对佛罗里达赤潮的认知程度、对赤潮后果的认知程度，以及个人对赤潮危害的认知程度。目标2：确定选择情况的属性（例如，身体特征、社会规范），这对个人在发展行动意图时最重要，因为赤潮对环境健康的不确定危害。目标三：评估市民在何处及如何接收及倾向接收红潮资料. 这项研究的结果将适用于全世界人口面临的各种不确定的环境健康危害。因此，该R21提案将作为未来R 01应用的基础，R 01应用将：a）将R21的结果传播到整个墨西哥湾受有害藻华（HA B）影响的沿海社区;以及B）将R21研究方法扩展并应用于其他重要环境健康问题的决策（例如：海平面上升，微生物污染）不仅影响我们的研究地点佛罗里达州萨拉索塔，而且影响全球所有沿海社区。 公共卫生相关性：有害的藻华，包括佛罗里达的赤潮，构成了一个不确定的环境健康危害，其程度正在增加。个人所做的决定会影响他们对这些危险的潜在负面后果的暴露，但人们对在这些情况下影响决策的因素知之甚少。这项创新研究将提供可用于促进在面对这些和其他环境健康危害时做出良好决策的信息，从而直接改善公众健康。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Natural environmental hazards such as red tides appear to be increasing worldwide. As with other examples of overwhelming natural and man-made environmental risks (e.g. global change), the science surrounding these emerging environmental threats raises more questions than it answers, adding uncertainty to decision making involving these hazards. Currently, very little is known about how people make decisions in situations of uncertain environmental health hazards. Consequently, we do not have the knowledge base needed to devise appropriate educational interventions to facilitate good decision making. The proposed research will address the gaps in knowledge concerning decision making in situations of uncertain environmental health threats, using a theory-based innovative application of conjoint analysis. Specifically, we will explore a) knowledge and awareness of the harmful algal bloom, Florida red tide, and b) factors affecting decisions made about two behaviors in the presence of red tides. Florida red tide is a classic example of a global and emerging environmental hazard with uncertain health risks. Florida red tides may cause health problems when contaminated seafood is eaten and/or when contaminated air is breathed. However, the danger of these consequences is uncertain and the science of red tide hazards is still evolving. Thus, this is an ideal model in which to explore factors affecting decision making in uncertain environmental health situations. For this research, we draw on a conceptual model of decision making using the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM). This model provides a framework that shapes our specific aims, research design and analysis; and informs how we will use study results for future educational activities. The Specific Aims of this research are: Aim 1: Drawing on the PAPM stages theory, we will assess awareness of Florida red tide, knowledge of its consequences, and perceived personal risk from this hazard. Aim 2: Identify the attributes of the choice situations (e.g., physical characteristics, social norms) that are most important to individuals when developing intentions about actions concerning the uncertain environmental health hazards from red tide. Aim 3: Assess where and how individuals receive and prefer to receive information on red tide. The results from this research will be applicable to the wide range of uncertain environmental health hazards facing populations worldwide. Thus, this R21 proposal will serve as the basis of a future R01 application which will: a) disseminate the results of the R21 to harmful algal bloom (HAB) affected coastal communities throughout the Gulf of Mexico; and b) expand and apply the R21 research methodology to decision making about other important environmental health issues (e.g.. sea level rise, microbial pollution) impacting not just our study site of Sarasota FL, but all coastal communities worldwide. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Harmful algal blooms, including Florida red tide, constitute an uncertain environmental health hazard that is growing in magnitude. Decisions that individuals make affect their exposure to potentially negative consequences from these hazards, yet little is known about what affects decision making in these situations. This innovative research will provide information that can be used to facilitate good decision making in the face of these and other environmental health hazards, and thus directly improve public health.