Worried (and) sick: how environmental hazards affect Americans’ health-related risk attitudes

Abstract

AbstractThis study explores risk attitudes towards environmental hazards by adapting the Comprehensive Conceptual Risk Perception Model (CCRPM) and applying it in the context of health-related implications of these hazards. We argue that personal experience and a deeper understanding of environmental hazards increase risk perceptions, while a strong social context reduces health concerns. Utilizing data from a national survey (N = 1207), our findings reveal higher health-related risk perceptions among individuals with pre-existing health conditions. Additionally, those with greater knowledge of environmental threats exhibit heightened concern about health complications. Conversely, individuals in communities with robust social ties report lower risk attitudes. An in-depth analysis further indicates that residents of high-risk communities, characterized by higher levels of air pollution, have increased risk perceptions compared to those in less polluted areas. These findings reinforce the dimensions described in the CCRPM and highlight the significance of structural conditions in shaping individuals' risk perceptions.