Water quality perceptions and private well management: The role of perceived risks, worry and control

Schuitema, Geertje; Hooks, Teresa; McDermott, Frank

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110654

Cited by 27 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…It is also possible that the three key beliefs we identified in our initial mental models research (Table I ) was incomplete. A new study of private well owners in the Republic of Ireland showed that three factors not included in our model were associated with maintenance of private wells: perceived level of contamination risk, worry about that risk, and sense of control over water quality (Schuitema, Hooks, & Mcdermott, 2020 ). Our previous mental models survey of the target population found that perception of health risks from water contamination was not associated with water testing behavior (Stillo et al., 2019 ), so our postcard did not include information to amplify risk perceptions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Private Well Testing in Peri‐Urban African‐American Communities Lacking Access to Regulated Municipal Drinking Water: A Mental Models Approach to Risk Communication

et al. 2021

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Majority African-American neighborhoods on the edges of North Carolina municipalities are less likely than white peri-urban neighborhoods to be served by a community system regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. These households rely on unregulated private wells, which are at much higher risk of contamination than neighboring community water supplies. Yet, risk awareness of consuming well water is low, and no prior research has tested risk communication interventions for these communities. We present a randomized-controlled trial of an oversized postcard to promote water testing among this audience. The postcard design followed the mental models approach to risk communication. To our knowledge, this is the first U.S. randomized-controlled trial of a mailed communication to promote water testing in any audience and one of few trials of the mental models approach. We evaluated the postcard's effects on self-reported water testing with and without a free water test offer (vs. no-intervention control) via a survey mailed one month after the interventions. The combined communication and free test doubled the odds of self-reported water testing, compared to the control group (p = 0.046). It increased the odds of testing by 65%, compared to the free test alone. Recall of receiving a postcard about water testing increased the odds of self-reported testing twelve-fold (p < 0.001). Although these results suggest that targeted risk information delivered by mail can promote water testing when paired with a free test, the mechanism remains unclear. Additional research on beliefs influencing perceptions about well water may yield interventions that are even more effective.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Private Well Testing in Peri‐Urban African‐American Communities Lacking Access to Regulated Municipal Drinking Water: A Mental Models Approach to Risk Communication

et al. 2021

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“…In this scenario, in the matter of public health, there is evidence of a serious threat situation, by the presence of springs and wells that, vulnerable to contamination, offer poor quality water to consumption, as it is demonstrated to the elevated contamination of total coliforms and E. coli. Besides there is the need of periodic monitoring and treatment of these waters, at least, disinfection, thus adopting better practices that provide protection and contamination risk reduction of well waters (Oliveira et al, 2017;Schuitema et al, 2020).…”

Section: Environmental Macroscopic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Water quality in individual groundwater supply systems in Southern Brazil

Schneider

Golombieski

Seben

et al. 2021

CeN

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This study aimed to evaluate the potability of drinking water in ten municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, distributed in rural and urban areas, with three different sources: springs, shallow wells, and deep wells. The water quality parameters analyzed from 2017 to 2019 were: pH, temperature, apparent and true color, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, total hardness, nitrate, total phosphorus, total iron, fluoride, biochemical oxygen demand, total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. A macroscopic analysis was also conducted in the surrounding of sampling points. According to the Brazilian and the WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines, some of the analyzed variables, in some sampling points, were in disagreement with the current both guidelines, which are pH, apparent color, turbidity, total iron, total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. The surveillance showed that the deeper the water is abstracted the less are natural and anthropogenic interferences in physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of the water; and the protection of the location where the water is abstracted improves its quality. Nonetheless, for the sampled waters it is necessary a disinfection process for posterior human consumption.

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“…This effect is particularly strong when people underestimate or are largely unaware of health risks [52], such as risks derived from radon exposure [53]. Conversely, people who perceive risks are more likely to take health protective behaviours, but only if they actually feel in control of their actions and able to reduce the risks [54].…”

Section: Health Psychologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alternatively, people may be under the "illusion of control", suggesting that they feel they can reduce or eliminate risks, which is a factor in other health risks areas [58]. Such unrealistic feelings of being in control can suppress perceptions of health risks and, subsequently, lead people to ignore information about these risks [54].…”

Section: Health Psychologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, people have a tendency to attribute positive characteristics to natural products, especially when they are not interfered with by people [59,60]. Typically, people associate positive feelings to "natural" products [54], sometimes even when referring to harmful trace elements such as uranium [52]. Radon is a naturally occurring gas, and it may well be that people have positive associations with this natural pollutant.…”

Section: Health Psychologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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“Following the Science”: In Search of Evidence-Based Policy for Indoor Air Pollution from Radon in Ireland

2020

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Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate inside dwellings, represents the second biggest cause of lung cancer globally. In Ireland, radon is linked to approximately 300 lung cancer cases every year, equating to 12% of all lung cancer deaths. Despite the health risks posed by radon air pollution, Ireland lacks well-defined and universally applicable air pollution-related public health policies. Through purposive literature sampling, we critically examine the case of indoor radon policy development in Ireland. Specifically, we analyse the evidence-based policymaking process relating to indoor radon pollution from three different knowledge dimensions, namely political, scientific, and practical knowledge. In doing so, we identify various challenges inherent to pollution-related public policymaking. We highlight the difficulties of balancing and integrating information from multiple disciplines and perspectives and argue that input from multiple scientific areas is crucial, but can only be achieved through continued, dialogic communication between stakeholders. On the basis of our analysis, we suggest that a transdisciplinary perspective, defined as a holistic approach which subordinates disciplines and looks at the dynamics of whole systems, will allow evidence-based policymaking to be effective. We end with recommendations for evidence-based policymaking when it comes to public health hazards such as radon, which are applicable to sustainable air pollution management beyond Ireland.

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Water quality perceptions and private well management: The role of perceived risks, worry and control

Cited by 27 publications

References 44 publications

Private Well Testing in Peri‐Urban African‐American Communities Lacking Access to Regulated Municipal Drinking Water: A Mental Models Approach to Risk Communication

Private Well Testing in Peri‐Urban African‐American Communities Lacking Access to Regulated Municipal Drinking Water: A Mental Models Approach to Risk Communication

Water quality in individual groundwater supply systems in Southern Brazil

“Following the Science”: In Search of Evidence-Based Policy for Indoor Air Pollution from Radon in Ireland

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