Milken Institute School of Public Health Poster Presentations (Marvin Center & Video)
The Role of Health in the Perception of Climate Change Risk: An in-depth Qualitative Approach
Poster to be presented at GW Annual Research Days 2017.
Abstract
Background: Research has suggested that a health frame is critical to compel concern about, and action on climate change. However, the understanding of how health is important to these processes is largely unexplored. Using an in-depth qualitative approach, we explore how health informs the conception of climate change risk after exposure to episodes of a climate change documentary series which vary in in the way that they frame climate change.
Methods: 59 participants (objective of 70) were recruited from five locations to watch one of four episodes of season two of Years of Living Dangerously, participate in an in-depth interview and complete a follow-up survey one month after the interview. The five locations were: Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Miami, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Francisco, California; Toledo, Ohio. Data were analyzed in QSR NVIVO.
Results: Data collection is ongoing but preliminary findings show that interviewees’ concerns about health effects shown in the episodes are often discussed in the context of proximate risks, whereas the potential for future health risks and other threats from climate change were generally framed as uncertain and distant. Additionally, health risk perceptions were not necessarily connected to climate change, but rather other environmental risks like particulate air pollution. In general, participants did not have a clear understanding (or had a limited understanding) of how climate change impacts human health. Finally, participants who viewed episodes with a health focus tended to mention health concerns more often than those who viewed episodes without an obvious health topic.
Conclusions: Health plays some role in shaping risk assessment of climate change, but must be raised explicitly and in an immediate rather than distant way in order for audiences to include it in their risk assessment process and to make the connection between effects of climate change and potential health effects.
The Role of Health in the Perception of Climate Change Risk: An in-depth Qualitative Approach
Background: Research has suggested that a health frame is critical to compel concern about, and action on climate change. However, the understanding of how health is important to these processes is largely unexplored. Using an in-depth qualitative approach, we explore how health informs the conception of climate change risk after exposure to episodes of a climate change documentary series which vary in in the way that they frame climate change.
Methods: 59 participants (objective of 70) were recruited from five locations to watch one of four episodes of season two of Years of Living Dangerously, participate in an in-depth interview and complete a follow-up survey one month after the interview. The five locations were: Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Miami, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Francisco, California; Toledo, Ohio. Data were analyzed in QSR NVIVO.
Results: Data collection is ongoing but preliminary findings show that interviewees’ concerns about health effects shown in the episodes are often discussed in the context of proximate risks, whereas the potential for future health risks and other threats from climate change were generally framed as uncertain and distant. Additionally, health risk perceptions were not necessarily connected to climate change, but rather other environmental risks like particulate air pollution. In general, participants did not have a clear understanding (or had a limited understanding) of how climate change impacts human health. Finally, participants who viewed episodes with a health focus tended to mention health concerns more often than those who viewed episodes without an obvious health topic.
Conclusions: Health plays some role in shaping risk assessment of climate change, but must be raised explicitly and in an immediate rather than distant way in order for audiences to include it in their risk assessment process and to make the connection between effects of climate change and potential health effects.