Graduate School of Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, Tosayamada, Kami City, Kochi 782-8502, Japan.
School of Economics and Management, Kochi University of Technology, 2-22 Eikokuji, Kochi City, Kochi 780-8515, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Feb 8;15(2):296. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15020296.
The ubiquitous surfactants nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates (NPEOs), which are known as endocrine disrupters, have appeared in the lists of restricted chemical substances, monitoring programs, and environmental quality standards of many countries due to their adverse effects. Recent studies have reported alarming levels of NP, as the final metabolite of NPEOs, in Vietnamese urban waters, whilst response to this issue is negligible. With the aim of addressing how the public perceives and expects to avoid the risk of endocrine disrupting surfactants (EDSs), the study tested the hypothesized roles of specific knowledge, general knowledge, and perceived uncertainty using structural equation modelling. The findings revealed that different types of knowledge played certain roles in explaining risk perception, risk acceptability, and self-protective response, which are distinguished by experience amongst the public. Evidence of the mediating role that perceived uncertainty may play in the decrease of risk perception and the increase of risk unacceptance has been provided. The insights gained from the study may help answer why the public are in favor of taking non-diet-related self-protective measures rather than changing their dietary habits, which illustrates a comparison with the basis of health belief model. The needs for building cognitive capacity amongst the public, particularly pregnant women and young mothers, and risk communication concerning endocrine disrupting contamination linked to reproductive health are highlighted.
由于具有内分泌干扰特性，普遍存在的表面活性剂壬基酚（NP）及其乙氧基化物（NPEOs）已出现在许多国家的受限化学物质清单、监测计划和环境质量标准中。由于其不良影响。最近的研究报告称，越南城市水域中 NP 的含量惊人，而对此问题的反应却微不足道。为了解公众如何看待和期望避免内分泌干扰表面活性剂（EDSs）的风险，本研究使用结构方程模型测试了特定知识、一般知识和感知不确定性的假设作用。研究结果表明，不同类型的知识在解释风险感知、风险可接受性和自我保护反应方面发挥了一定作用，这些作用因公众的经验而异。提供了感知不确定性可能在降低风险感知和增加风险不可接受性方面发挥中介作用的证据。本研究获得的见解可能有助于回答为什么公众倾向于采取与饮食无关的自我保护措施，而不是改变他们的饮食习惯，这说明了与健康信念模型基础的比较。强调了在生殖健康方面与内分泌干扰污染相关的建立公众认知能力的需求，特别是孕妇和年轻母亲，以及风险沟通。
