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

描述(申请人提供)：全球范围内赤潮等自然环境危害似乎正在增加。与压倒性的自然和人为环境风险(例如全球变化)的其他例子一样，围绕这些新出现的环境威胁的科学提出的问题比它所回答的问题更多，为涉及这些危险的决策增加了不确定性。目前，人们对如何在不确定的环境健康危害情况下做出决定知之甚少。因此，我们没有所需的知识基础来设计适当的教育干预措施来促进良好的决策。拟议的研究将利用基于理论的联合分析的创新应用，解决在环境健康威胁不确定的情况下决策方面的知识差距。具体地说，我们将探索a)对有害藻华、佛罗里达州赤潮的知识和认识，以及b)影响在赤潮存在时就两种行为做出决定的因素。佛罗里达赤潮是一个典型的全球性和新兴的环境危害，具有不确定的健康风险。当人们食用受污染的海鲜和/或呼吸受污染的空气时，佛罗里达州的赤潮可能会导致健康问题。然而，这些后果的危险还不确定，赤潮危害的科学仍在发展中。因此，这是探索在不确定的环境健康状况下影响决策的因素的理想模型。在这项研究中，我们借鉴了一个使用预防采用过程模型(PAPM)进行决策的概念模型。这个模型提供了一个框架，它塑造了我们的具体目标、研究设计和分析；并告知我们将如何将研究结果用于未来的教育活动。本研究的具体目的是：目标1：借鉴PAPM阶段理论，我们将评估人们对佛罗里达赤潮的认识、对其后果的认识，以及对这种危害的个人风险的感知。目标2：在制定关于赤潮对环境健康的不确定危害的行动的意图时，确定对个人最重要的选择情况的属性(例如，物理特征、社会规范)。目标3：评估个人在哪里以及如何接收和更愿意接收有关赤潮的信息。这项研究的结果将适用于世界各地人口面临的各种不确定的环境健康危害。因此，这项R21提案将作为未来R01应用的基础，该应用将：a)将R21的结果传播给整个墨西哥湾受有害藻华(HAB)影响的沿海社区；以及b)扩展和应用R21研究方法，以制定关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)不仅影响到我们在佛罗里达州萨拉索塔的研究地点，也影响到全球所有沿海社区。 与公共卫生相关：包括佛罗里达赤潮在内的有害藻类水华构成了一种不确定的环境健康危害，而且危害的程度还在不断扩大。个人做出的决定会影响他们暴露在这些危险的潜在负面后果中，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.