Perceptions of risk among children with and without attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Traditionally, health professionals have positioned injury prevention strategies from their own perspective with little acknowledgement or understanding of the perspective of those who experience risk taking: specific populations of children with differing approaches to risk perception and problem-solving. The present study addresses this oversight by engaging children with and without attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to explore the meaning of risk from their perspective. Although both groups of children reported similar processes of assessing risk, unique to children with ADHD was the overestimation of their physical abilities, intentional risk taking and anticipation of positive or no consequences of their risk taking. These findings also advance our knowledge of potentially appropriate strategies to effect change in risk taking that could influence risk of injury. Specifically, findings suggest that prevention efforts that incorporate both cognitive and social interventions are the most promising approaches. Integrating this understanding of children's perception of risk builds our knowledge about the contribution of risk perception to injury events and may help to inform future injury prevention initiatives with children with ADHD.     

Injury incidence,risk perception and product-related safety behavior among 18- and 45-year-olds

Abstract

Adolescents generally have twice the injury incidence of adults. This increased risk of injury may partly be a consequence of the types of activities performed, the level of exposure to products and the safety behavior. The purpose of this paper was to identify possible predictors for the increased injury risk of adolescents compared to adults. To this end, all 18- and 45-year-olds in a major city in Norway received a questionnaire asking for information on injury experience, level of use and risk perceptions concerning 14 specific products, and the adoption of safety measures; 686 18-year-olds and 81 o 45-year-olds answered the questionnaire. The adolescents reported a higher injury incidence as compared to adults for all the listed products. The difference was significant even after controlling for level of use. Adolescents also had higher levels of risk perception and decreased adoption of safety measures as compared to adults. Females reported less injuries but higher levels of risk perception than males. Females also adopted more safety measures. An important finding from this study was that adolescents, as compared to adults, also expose themselves to increased risk levels when ‘ordinary’ products are concerned, and not only in terms of well-known high-risk activities (driving fast, skiing downhill, etc.). This tends to support the idea that more general factors or dimensions of risk-related behaviors may exist which should be accounted for in the planning of injury prevention activities.     

An Analysis of Hong Kong Auditors' Perceptions of the Importance of Selected Red Flag Factors in Risk Assessment

This study examined auditors' perceptions of the relative level of risk of fraud and material irregularities associated with the presence of six red flag factors and also evaluated the quality of auditors' judgements. The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, subjects were asked to rank the importance of 15 factors that proxy the existence of material misstatements. Based on the responses to this questionnaire, 6 of the most important factors were identified and included in the second stage, a lens model experiment. In the lens model experiment, 30 experienced auditors from a cross-section of Big 6 firms were used as subjects in a repeated-measures ANOVA design. Results showed that misstatements in prior audits and indicators of going-concern problems were perceived to be the most significant factors in alerting auditors to the risk of fraud and material irregularities. In making these judgements, auditors demonstrated a relatively high level of consensus and consistency. However, the two most important factors in the lens model experiment are not the same as the results of the first survey suggesting that the first group of respondents, faced with a simple questionnaire, used heuristics in their decision making. The results have implications for audit practice.     

Road trauma perceptions and the potential influence of the media

The United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011–2020) recognises the urgency of addressing global road trauma. Road crashes and attempts to reduce risky driving, including public education campaigns, receive media attention in many countries. In Australia, road fatalities have declined significantly. However, the extent of awareness about this success and of fatalities overall is unclear. A survey of 833 Australian drivers revealed the majority of participants under-estimated fatalities. Unexpectedly, some under-estimates appear based on recollections of media reports. The findings suggest lack of awareness of the extent of road deaths and that, paradoxically, media reports might contribute to under-estimations. This represents a major public health challenge. Engaging community support for road safety, relative to other health/safety messages, may prove difficult if the extent of road trauma is misunderstood. Misperceptions about fatality levels may be a barrier to road users adopting safety precautions or supporting further road safety countermeasures.     

Consumers' Assessment of the Food Safety Problem for Meals Prepared at Home and Reactions to Food Safety Labeling

Abstract

Public awareness and concern regarding foodborne illnesses have increased rapidly over the past decade. This increased concern may cause consumers to avoid certain stores, products or brands, particularly following a publicized incidence of foodborne illness or a large recall. Many firms have undertaken costly efforts to improve the safety of their products yet find communicating such improvements difficult because of potential alarmist responses by consumers to food safety issues. To identify if differences in food safety risks can be effectively and credibly communicated, we conducted eight focus groups. This article summarizes these focus groups and reports how consumers frame the issues surrounding the food safety problem and how consumers react to label-based communications of food safety characteristics. We find consumers have broad, moderate food safety concerns, a wide but spotty understanding of foodborne illness prevention and consequences, and a healthy skepticism concerning food safety claims. We identify two forms of labeling that show promise with regard to consumer acceptance and credibility in communicating brand-level and package-level differences in the risk of foodborne illness and discuss implications for consumer valuation of such differences.