Citizens* involvement in risk management: the view of community members

作者:Claudia Sardu; Alessandra Mereu; Alessandra Sotgiu; Roberta Porceddu
来源:Italian Journal of Public Health, 2010.
DOI:10.2427/5696

摘要

Background: Industrial risk management plays a central role in creating supportive environments for health. This paper examines the community*s trust in citizens* involvement in risk management, investigating differencesamong settings exposed to different levels of industrial risk. Additionally it aims to identify the social demographic characteristics of those manifesting high trust in citizens* involvement in risk management. Methods: The survey, performed in Sardinia between 2006 and 2007, was carried out in three representative areas this Region: a metropolitan area, an industrial area, and a rural area. A questionnaire was administered to 1,104 citizens to investigate community*s trust in citizens as ※risk managers§. Results: Trust in citizens* involvement in risk management was expressed to a greater extent by residents in the rural area, by those with a high level of education, and by older women. The expression of high trust in citizens* involvement was more likely in older higher-educated women (58-69%) than in lower educated ones (52-63%) and, to a lesserextent, in both genders with higher education (42-51%). Conclusions: A consistent number of the community*s members would entrust citizens with risk management not only in areas with a severe industrial impact, but also in those areas where industrial risk is considered of limited entity. The community*s tendency towards citizens* involvement in risk management appears to be an intrinsic trait of the community itself rather than an attitude triggered by a specific problem. Older women, and adults with higher education can be recognised as categories in which potential early adopters of risk management can be easily found.

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