NR ATCP
AU Green,J.M.; Draper,A.K.; Dowler,E.A.; Fele,G.; Hagenhoff,V.; Rusanen,M.; Rusanen,T.
TI Public understanding of food risks in four European countries: a qualitative study.
QU European Journal of Public Health 2005 Oct; 15(5): 523-7
PT journal article
AB BACKGROUND: In the wake of the 'bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis' there was renewed interest in how those responsible for public health could take account of public views, both to 'democratize' policy making and to increase the likelihood of information about health risks resonating with public concerns. This study explored how members of the public in four European countries (Finland, Germany, Italy and the UK) understood food risks in general, and risks arising from BSE in particular. The aims were to identify the sources of knowledge used and trusted by the public and to explore how public views could be accessed for public health information policy. METHODS: Thirty-six focus group interviews were held using a common protocol across the four countries, including people from four life-cycle stages. RESULTS: The study demonstrated the utility of using focus groups as a relatively efficient method for accessing public views, and the feasibility of cross-national qualitative research on public views. We found that public views of food risks are neither irrational nor naive, but that they do need to be interpreted in the context of everyday food purchasing decisions, in which particular food risks are unlikely to have the same salience as they do for experts. CONCLUSIONS: Focus groups are a feasible method for accessing public knowledge on public health risks to inform information strategies.
IN Aufgrund von Interviews mit Bürgern unterschiedlicher Altersgruppen in Finnland, Deutschland, Italien und dem Vereinigten Königreich sind die Autoren der Ansicht, die Büger im Hinblick auf BSE-Risiken weder irrational noch naiv seien, auch wenn sie bei ihren alltäglichen Einkäufen Lebensmittelrisiken anders bewerten als die jeweiligen Experten. Die Bürger wurden auch nach ihren Informationsquellen und deren Glaubwürdigkeit befragt.
MH Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Cattle; *Comprehension; Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform; Europe; Focus Groups; *Food Contamination; Humans; Information Management; Interviews; *Public Opinion; Qualitative Research; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Risk Assessment
AD HSRU, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK. Judith.green@lshtm.ac.uk
SP englisch
PO England