Public concern for air quality: explaining change in Toronto, Canada, 1967–1978

Dworkin, Judith M.; Pijawka, K. David

doi:10.1080/00207238208710009

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…How people's perceptions change over time is a neglected area of study. In Toronto, Canada, it was observed that within a span of a decade air pollution declined as a public concern as other socioeconomic problems emerged (Dworkin and Pijawka 1982). Gould and Golob (1998) studied how people's attitudes to cleaner vehicles change over time.…”

Section: "State": Perceptions About the Level Of Air Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Perceptions of Urban Air Pollution Risks

Saksena

2011

Risk Hazard & Crisis Pub Pol

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Understanding public perception and attitudes toward air quality and regulation is critical for successful citizen involvement as shifts toward new technologies and management alternatives take place. While urban air pollution continues to be a major risk in most parts of the world, very few studies and surveys have been conducted to systematically study public perceptions related to air pollution. Even fewer studies have focused on developing countries. This gap is critical because of the complex interaction between poverty, livelihoods and sustainable development in developing countries. A Pressure-State-Response framework is used to review studies of public perceptions of air pollution and knowledge gaps are identified. The paper highlights unique characteristics of urban areas in developing countries in the context of air pollution related perceptions.

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Section: "State": Perceptions About the Level Of Air Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Perceptions of Urban Air Pollution Risks

Saksena

2011

Risk Hazard & Crisis Pub Pol

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“…Several studies have found that people residing in areas of extremely high air pollution were not at all concerned or aware of these potentially dangerous levels. ( 5,6 ) For example, Dworkin and Pijawka ( 7 ) found in their study of public concern in Toronto, Canada, that the population was insensitive to the changes in air quality between 1967 and 1978. These results led the authors to be skeptical about the relationship between public perception and actual changes in air quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining Localized Patterns of Air Quality Perception in Texas: A Spatial and Statistical Analysis

Brody¹,

Peck²,

Highfield³

2004

Risk Analysis

177

143

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Environmental and human health issues associated with outdoor air pollution, such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, and other pollutants in metropolitan regions, are an area of growing concern for both policy officials and the general public. Increasing attention from the news media, new health data, and public debate over the effectiveness of clean air regulations have raised the importance of air quality in the public consciousness. While public perceptions of air quality have been studied thoroughly dating back to the 1960s, little empirical research has been conducted to explain the spatial aspects of these perceptions, particularly at the local level. Although recent studies suggest characteristics of local setting are important in shaping perceptions of air quality, the roles of proximity, neighborhood characteristics, and location have not been clarified. This study seeks to improve understanding of the major factors shaping public perceptions of air quality by examining the spatial pattern of local risk perception, the role of socioeconomic characteristics in forming these perceptions, and the relationship between perceived and scientifically measured air pollution. First, we map the spatial pattern of local air quality perceptions using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) across the Dallas and Houston metropolitan areas. Next, we explain these perceptions through local contextual factors using both bivariate correlations and multivariate regression analysis. Results indicate that perceptions of air quality in the study areas are not significantly correlated with air quality based on readings of air monitoring stations. Instead, perceptions appear to be influenced by setting (urban vs. rural), state identification, access to information, and socioeconomic characteristics such as age, race, and political identification. We discuss the implications of the findings and provide direction on how further research can provide a deeper understanding of the local contextual factors influencing public perceptions.

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“…Demographic, cultural, and certain contextual characteristics are crucial in understanding the variations in perception. Over the last decades, studies performed in different countries have shown that air quality perceptions can be associated with factors such as satisfaction and attachment with one's neighborhood (Bickerstaff & Walker, 2001;Brody, Peck, & Highfield, 2004;De Groot, 1967;Francis, 1983;Rankin, 1969), age (Brody et al, 2004;Howel, Moffatt, Prince, Bush, & Dunn, 2002), socioeconomic status, educational level (Bickerstaff & Walker, 2001;Deguen, Padilla, Padilla, & Kihal-Talantikite, 2017;Dworkin & Pijawka, 1982;Tiefenbacher & Hagelman, 1999), gender or feelings of belonging to a minority group (Catalán et al, 2009;Johnson, 2002), information and exposure to different types of risks and air quality (Chen et al, 2018;Elliott, Cole, Krueger, Voorberg, & Wakefield, 1999;Kasperson et al, 1988;Mirabelli et al, 2018;Oltra, Sala, Boso, & Asensio, 2017;Saberian, Heyes, & Rivers, 2017), or political identification (Brody et al, 2004).…”

Section: Public Perception Of Air Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining Patterns of Air Quality Perception: A Cluster Analysis for Southern Chilean Cities

et al. 2019

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Various medium-sized cities in southern Chile are saturated by air pollution caused by woodsmoke. In this study, we developed a segmentation model to assess the public’s perceptions, understanding of health risks and emotional responses to poor air quality. To date, this is the first segmentation model dealing with public perception in cities contaminated by woodsmoke. A survey ( N = 489) was conducted in Temuco and Padre las Casas, Chile, which included questions regarding attitudes, sociodemographic factors, and health care behaviors, to obtain information for mitigation initiatives. Through a cluster analysis, three population segments were identified that related differently to environmental pollution, which were constructed based on seven psychosocial variables. Different sociodemographic profiles and self-reported behavioral patterns were found, which should guide policies aimed at improving air quality in cities contaminated by pollution from wood-burning stoves.

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Public concern for air quality: explaining change in Toronto, Canada, 1967–1978

Cited by 19 publications

References 2 publications

Public Perceptions of Urban Air Pollution Risks

Public Perceptions of Urban Air Pollution Risks

Examining Localized Patterns of Air Quality Perception in Texas: A Spatial and Statistical Analysis

Examining Patterns of Air Quality Perception: A Cluster Analysis for Southern Chilean Cities

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