Howe H L
Division of Epidemiologic Studies, Illinois Department of Public Health, Springfield 62761.
Environ Health Perspect. 1990 Jul;87:275-81. doi: 10.1289/ehp.9087275.
The purpose of this research was to identify the variables that increase concern about the health, environmental contamination, and economic consequences of toxic substances in the environment. A mail survey was sent to a New York State sample, and a 66% response was obtained. Seven indices were developed from specific concerns about toxic substances in the environment including, among others, exposure, health effects, pollution, and economic consequences. Stepwise regression analysis was conducted for each concern index. The results suggest that the number of information sources regarding environmental issues was a strong predictor of concern in nearly all models. Other variables that were repeatedly found to be important contributors to the models were years of education, attitudes about government involvement in private industry, knowledge of epidemiology and the scientific method, and the perceived proximity to sources of potential contamination. Unlike other research, women and mothers of sick children did not make large contributions to the model.
本研究的目的是确定那些会增加人们对环境中有毒物质的健康、环境污染及经济后果担忧的变量。向纽约州的一个样本群体发送了邮件调查问卷，得到了66%的回复率。从对环境中有毒物质的特定担忧中开发了七个指标，其中包括接触、健康影响、污染和经济后果等。对每个担忧指标进行了逐步回归分析。结果表明，在几乎所有模型中，有关环境问题的信息来源数量都是担忧程度的有力预测指标。其他反复被发现对模型有重要贡献的变量包括受教育年限、对政府参与私营行业的态度、流行病学知识和科学方法、以及感知到的与潜在污染源的接近程度。与其他研究不同的是，女性和患病儿童的母亲对模型的贡献不大。
