How do we handle new health risks? Risk perception, optimism, and behaviors regarding the H1N1 virus

Journal of Risk Research

Volumn 16, Issue 8, 2013, Pages 959-980

  Rudisill, Caroline ^a  

^a LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

H1N1 virus; optimism; prevention; risk perception; swine flu

Indexed keywords

AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR; FOOD POISONING; NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES; OPTIMISM; PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS; PREVENTION; REFERENCE POINTS; SWINE FLU;

VACCINES; VIRUSES;

RISK PERCEPTION;

EID: 84880235217     PISSN: 13669877     EISSN: 14664461     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/13669877.2012.761271     Document Type: Article

References (41)

1. Aguero, F., Adell, M., Gimenez, A., Medina, M., and, Continent, X. 2011. Adoption of preventive measures during and after the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus pandemic peak in Spain. Preventive Medicine, 53 (3): 203-206.
2. Arnett, J.J. 2000. Optimistic bias in adolescent and adult smokers and nonsmokers. Addictive Behaviors, 25 (4): 625-632. (Pubitemid 30326760)
3. Avis, N.E., Smith, K.W., and, McKinlay, J.B. 1989. Accuracy of risk perceptions of heart attack risk: What influences perceptions and can they be changed?. American Journal of Public Health, 79: 1608-1612. (Pubitemid 19282804)
4. Branstrom, R., Jristjansson, S., and, Ullen, H. 2005. Risk perceptions, optimistic bias, and readiness to change sun related behaviour. European Journal of Public Health, 16 (5): 492-497. (Pubitemid 44536007)
5. Brewer, N.T., Weinstein, N.D., Cuite, C.L., and, Herrington, J.E. 2004. Risk perceptions and their relation to risk behavior. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 27: 125-130. (Pubitemid 38364892)
6. Bults, M., Desirée, J.M.A., Beaujean, D., de Zwart, O., Kok, G., van Empelen, P., van Steenbergen, J.E., Richardus, J.H., and, Voeten, H.A.C.M. 2011. Perceived risk, anxiety, and behavioural responses of the general public during the early phase of the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in the Netherlands: Results of three consecutive online surveys. BMC Public Health, 11: 2
7. Burger, J.M., and, Burns, L. 1988. The illusion of unique invulnerability and the use of effective contraception. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 14 (2): 264-270.
8. Carman, K.G., and P. Kooreman. 2010. Flu shots, mammogram and the perception of probabilities. Network for Studies on Pensions, Aging and Retirement Discussion Paper 03/2010-014.
9. Cho, H., J. Lee, and S. Lee. in press. Optimistic bias about H1N1 Flu: Testing the links between risk communication, optimistic bias, and self-protection behavior. Health Communication. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2012. 664805.
10. Clarke, V.A., Williams, T., and, Arthey, S. 1997. Skin type and optimistic bias in relation to the sun protection and sun-tanning behaviours of young adults. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 20: 207-222. (Pubitemid 27188129)
11. Coelho, M. 2010. Unrealistic optimism: Still a neglected trait. Journal of Business Psychology, 25: 397-408.
12. Costa-Font, J., Mossialos, E., and, Rudisill, C. 2009. Optimism and the perceptions of new risks. Journal of Risk Research, 12: 27-41.
13. Dillard, A.J., McCaul, K.D., and, Klein, W.M.P. 2006. Unrealistic optimism in smokers: Implications for smoking myth endorsement and self-protective motivation. Journal of Health Communication, 11: 93-102. (Pubitemid 44594386)
14. Harris, P.R., Griffin, D.W., and, Murray, S. 2008. Testing the limits of optimistic bias: Event and person moderators in a multilevel framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95: 1225-1237.
15. Health Protection Agency (HPA). 2009. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in England: An overview of initial epidemiological findings and implications for the second wave. http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb-C/1258560552857.
16. Hong, S., and, Collins, A. 2006. Societal responses to familiar versus unfamiliar risk: Comparisons of influenza and SARS in Korea. Risk Analysis, 26 (5): 1247-1257. (Pubitemid 44599395)
17. Jones, J.H., and, Salathe, M. 2009. Early assessment of anxiety and behavioral response to novel swine origin influenza A(H1N1). PLoS One, 4 (12): e8032 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008032
18. Kasperson, R.E., Renn, O., Slovic, P., Brown, H.S., Emel, J., Goble, R., Kasperson, J.X., and, Ratick, S. 1988. The social amplification of risk: A conceptual framework. Risk Analysis, 8: 177-187.
19. Kilmer, J.K., Hunt, S.B., Lee, C.M., and, Neighbors, C. 2007. Marijuana use, risk perception, and consequences: Is perceived risk congruent with reality?. Addictive Behaviors, 32: 3026-3033. (Pubitemid 47470104)
20. Klein, W.M.P. 2006. Optimistic bias. http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/BRP/ constructs/optimistic-bias/index.html (accessed March 1, 2012).
21. Klein, W., Geaghan, T., and, Macdonald, T. 2007. Unplanned sexual activity as a consequence of alcohol use: A prospective study of risk perceptions and alcohol use among college freshmen. Journal of American College Health, 56 (3): 317-323.
22. Kousky, C., Pratt, J., and, Zeckhauser, R. 2010. " Virgin versus experienced risks ". In The irrational economist: Making decision in a dangerous world, Edited by: Michel-Kerjan, E. and Slovic, P. 99-106. New York, NY: PublicAffairs.
23. Liu, J.T., and, Hsieh, C.R. 1995. Risk perception and smoking behavior: Empirical evidence from Taiwan. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 11: 139-157.
24. Lundborg, P., and, Lindgren, B. 2002. Risk perceptions and alcohol consumption among young people. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 25: 165-183. (Pubitemid 37131145)
25. Lundborg, P., and, Lindgren, B. 2004. Do they know what they are doing? Risk perceptions and smoking behavior among Swedish teenagers. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 28: 261-286. (Pubitemid 39015160)
26. Murray, A. 2011. Editorial: The implications of optimistic bias for nursing and health. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20: 2588-2590.
27. Park, J., Cheon, H., Son, D., Kim, S., and, Ha, C. 2010. Perceptions and behaviors related to hand hygiene for the prevention of H1N1 influenza transmission among Korean university students during the peak pandemic period. BMC Infectious Diseases, 10: 222 doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-10-222
28. Prati, G., Pietrantoni, L., and, Zani, B. 2011a. A social-cognitive model of pandemic influenza H1N1 risk perception and recommended behaviors in Italy. Risk Analysis, 31 (4): 645-656.
29. Prati, G., Pietrantoni, L., and, Zani, B. 2011b. Compliance with recommendations for pandemic influenza H1N1 2009: The role of trust and personal beliefs. Health Education Research, 26 (5): 761-769.
30. Rubin, G.J., Amlot, R., Page, L., and Wessely, S. 2009. Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak: cross sectional telephone survey. BMJ 339: b2651. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1136/bmj.b2651.
31. Sharot, T. 2011. The optimistic bias. Current Biology, 21 (23): R941-R945.
32. Slovic, P. 1987. Perception of risk. Science, 236 (4799): 280-285. (Pubitemid 17061043)
33. Taylor, S.E., Kemeny, M.E., Aspinwall, L.E., Schneider, S.G., Rodriguez, R., and, Herbert, M. 1992. Optimism, coping, psychological distress, and high risk sexual behavior among men at risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 3: 460-473.
34. van der Weerd, W., Timmermans, D.R.M., Beaujean, D.J.M.A., Oudhoff, J., and, van Steenbergen, J.E. 2011. Monitoring the level of government trust, risk perception and intention of the general public to adopt protective measures during the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in the Netherlands. BMC Public Health, 11: 575
35. Viscusi, W.K. 1990. Do smokers underestimate risks?. Journal of Political Economy, 98: 1253-1269.
36. Wei, R., Lo, V., and, Lu, H. 2007. Reconsidering the relationship between the third-person perception and optimistic bias. Communication Research, 36 (6): 665-684.
37. Weinstein, N.D. 1982. Unrealistic optimism about susceptibility to health problems. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 5: 441-460. (Pubitemid 13192394)
38. Weinstein, N.D. 1987. Unrealistic optimism about susceptibility to health problems: Conclusions from a community-wide sample. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 10: 481-500. (Pubitemid 18019030)
39. Weinstein, N.D. 1989. Optimistic biases about personal risks. Science, 246: 1232-1233.
40. Weinstein, N.D., and, Nicolich, M. 1993. Correct and incorrect interpretations of correlations between risk perceptions and risk behaviors. Health Psychology, 12 (3): 234-245.
41. Williams, T., and, Clarke, V.A. 1997. Optimistic bias in beliefs about smoking. Australian Journal of Psychology, 49: 106-112.