Migrant Farmworkers\u27 Perceptions of Pesticide Risk Exposure in Adams County, Pennsylvania: A Cultural Risk Assessment

Agricultural exceptionalism, a system in which regular labor laws and standards do not apply to farm labor, makes migrant farmworkers particularly vulnerable populations—economically, socially, and in terms of environmental health. To address inequities inherent in migrant farmworker margin­aliza­tion, studies advocate for actively engaging the migrant farmworker population in the conversation surrounding these issues. We conducted 40 semi­structured interviews with migrant farmworkers in Adams County, Pennsylvania, to understand pesti­cide risk exposure perceptions and practices. We employed the Health Belief Model as our cultural risk assessment frame, using it in combination with technical risk assessment, which uses government calculations (from the Environmental Protection Agency) to quantify pesticide risk exposure. We used mixed methods analyses (quantitative and qualitative) to compare and understand farmworker demographics, perceived risk, perceived control, and risk behavior. Results show that demo­graphics —e.g., age, education, visa status—are important factors in risk perception. They also confirm observations present in many earlier studies. While trainings and educational materials are valuable to help build awareness of risk, a systemic lack of control over their circumstances make it hard for migrant farmworkers to engage in safe behavior. Results also highlight the limitations of technical risk assessment. Such calculations, however, rarely account for risk perceptions and experiences of farm­workers themselves. Acknowledging the voices of migrant farmworkers is an essential first step in rebalancing inequities of power in our food systems, and cultural risk assessment can help frame recommendations that target different stake­holders across the pesticide regulatory spectrum to ensure migrant farmworker needs and safety

THE IMPORTANCE OF BRAND AWARENESS IN CONSUMERS’ BUYING DECISION AND PERCEIVED RISK ASSESSMENT

Brand awareness, as one of the fundamental dimensions of brand equity, is often considered to be a prerequisite of consumers’ buying decision, as it represents the main factor for including a brand in the consideration set. Brand awareness can also influence consumers’ perceived risk assessment and their confidence in the purchase decision, due to familiarity with the brand and its characteristics. On the other hand, brand awareness can be depicted into at least two facets – unaided (brand recall) and aided (brand recognition) – each of the two facets having its more or less effective influence on buying decision and perceived risk assessment. This paper tries to reveal, on one hand, the importance of unaided brand awareness when it comes to consumers’ buying decision and, on the other hand, the importance of aided brand awareness when assessing the perceived risk associated with the purchase. The analysis is conducted in a comparative manner, considering the case of durable versus non-durable products, and with focus on urban Romanian consumers.brand aided and unaided awareness, brand choice, perceived risk

Evaluating Future Dangerousness and Need for Treatment: The Roles of Expert Testimony, Attributional Complexity, and Victim Type

In the current study, we explored the effect of risk-assessment testimony, attributional complexity, and victim type on participants’ perceptions of the dangerousness of a sexually violent person and his need for treatment. Participants read details of a hypothetical sexual assault of a female minor and of an adult. Expert testimony of his risk assessment consisted of clinical opinion versus structured-clinical judgment (SCJ) versus actuarial assessment. Participants perceived clinical-opinion and SCJ testimony as equally influential when forming judgments of future dangerousness. In the context of treatment, however, participants relied on actuarial testimony when judging potential for risk. In addition, attributional complexity (AC) moderated perceptions of sexual risk. Overall, results point to the need for continued refinement of assessment techniques when determining dangerousness and need for treatment

Cultural Influnces on Risk Tolerance and Portfolio Creation

We extend existing research that examines the impact of culture on risk tolerance. Using surveys completed by Chinese and American students, we find, consistent with previous studies, that Chinese students perceive themselves as more risk tolerant. However, we find that Chinese students are less consistent in matching their perceived tolerance levels with actual scores from a standard risk tolerance assessment. Further, we also examine mock portfolios created by the respondents and find no evidence that Chinese students create portfolios that are riskier than their American counterparts. Our findings suggest that differences in risk tolerance are at least partially a product of culture, but such differences may not always translate into actual investment decisions

A Mixed Method Approach to Collegiate Aviation Risk Assessment for Dual Cross-Country Flights at the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences

Risk is unavoidable within aviation. It is not possible to eliminate all risks, but rather to mitigate risks and the potential outcomes that a risk could cause to occur. The University of North Dakota utilizes a risk assessment form that is potentially inadequate in its ability to properly assess the risk of a flight as compared to the risk perceived by the pilots that will conduct the flight. The purpose of this study was to create a more accurate preflight risk assessment form to evaluate the potential risks that could occur on a cross-country training flight and to determine the effectiveness compared to the previous version. Another reason for this particular study was to examine the relationship of perceived risk assessment compared to pilot background characteristics. Overall, the findings of the study determined that the newer format of the preflight risk assessment is worthwhile in regards to time and an accurate representation of the actual risks perceived during training flights. The study also found that the role of participant, the flight instructor, placed more emphasis on risk assessment before a flight. The flight instructor also applied more mitigation techniques prior and during a flight compared to the student. Another significant finding was the private pilot placed more emphasis on risk assessment after the flight compared to commercial/ATP pilots. The results of this research bring about new areas to explore and examine. Numerous recommendations for further research are presented to help improve the overall safety towards the UND Aerospace program and for general aviation as well

Social Bonds And Fear Of Crime Victimization Among Youth: An Analysis Using Ferraro’s Risk Assessment Framework

The impact of crime taking place in society can be fluid and may quickly gain the form of fear among individuals with both direct and no direct victimization experience. While youth are extensively more vulnerable and immature than adults (Krulichová & Podaná, 2019), they are more likely to have or learn the fear of crime victimization. Therefore, the distribution and etiology of youth fear of crime victimization should not be overlooked. Ferraro\u27s (1995) risk assessment framework suggests incorporating theoretical variables to predict the evolution of fear. With the inclusion of the perceived risk of victimization, Ferraro\u27s risk assessment framework provides a comprehensive understanding of how an individual\u27s response to crime transitions into fear of crime victimization. This research utilized the Ferraro risk assessment framework and employed Social Bond Theory to examine the impact of social bonds on youth\u27s perceived risk and fear of crime victimization. This quantitative research utilized secondary data to perform analysis. The data for this research came from the National Evaluation of the Teens, Crime, and Community and the Community Works (TCC/CW)program, a self-report study of adolescents from several locations across the United States (Esbensen, 2005). This research conducted a Mediation Analysis to understand the relationships between social bonds, such as parental attachment, school commitment, the belief of guilt for wrongdoings, and involvement in legitimate activities, perceived risk of victimization, and fear of crime victimization among youth in general and across various race/ethnic and gender backgrounds of the youth. Results from Mediation Analysis identified that perceived risk of victimization significantly mediated the relationship between parental attachment and fear of crime, and school commitment and fear of crime among all youth and girls. Further, the study results suggested a non-significant relationship between all the elements of the social bonds, perceived risk of victimization, and fear of crime victimization among young males irrespective of their race and ethnic origin. Overall, two elements of social bonds, parental attachment and school commitment, were found to be important in minimizing the perceived risk of victimization and fear of crime victimization among the youth in general and specifically among females. Keywords: social bonds, perceived risk of victimization, fear of crime victimization, Ferraro’s risk assessment framework, youth, gende

Inherent complexities of a multi-stakeholder approach to building community resilience

Enhancing community resilience has increasingly involved national and regional governments adopting a multi-stakeholder approach because of the potential interagency benefits. This has led to questions about how best to involve stakeholder groups in translating community resilience policies into practice. This exploratory study contributes to this discussion by addressing two key areas that are fundamental in the concerted effort to build community resilience to natural hazards: (1) stakeholder understanding of community resilience as a concept; and (2) the difficulties associated with the processes of risk assessment and preparedness that stakeholders face locally in building community resilience. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 25 practitioners and experts within Scotland’s resilience community, and were analyzed through an inductive approach to thematic analysis. These data show how the interpretation of community resilience differs across stakeholder groups. Analysis of the data reveals challenges around the nature of the risk assessment and its role in shaping risk perception and communication. Significant complications occur in communicating about low probability-high consequence events, perceived territoriality, competing risk prioritizations, and the challenges of managing hazards within a context of limited resources. The implications of these issues for policy and practice are also discussed

Coverage, completion and outcomes of COVID-19 risk assessments in a multi-ethnic nationwide cohort of UK healthcare workers: a cross-sectional analysis from the UK-REACH Study

INTRODUCTION: There are limited data on the outcomes of COVID-19 risk assessment in healthcare workers (HCWs) or the association of ethnicity, other sociodemographic and occupational factors with risk assessment outcomes. METHODS: We used questionnaire data from UK-REACH (UK Research study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers), an ethnically diverse, nationwide cohort of UK HCWs. We derived four binary outcomes: (1) offered a risk assessment; (2) completed a risk assessment; (3) working practices changed as a result of the risk assessment; (4) wanted changes to working practices after risk assessment but working practices did not change.We examined the association of ethnicity, other sociodemographic/occupational factors and actual/perceived COVID-19 risk variables on our outcomes using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: 8649 HCWs were included in total. HCWs from ethnic minority groups were more likely to report being offered a risk assessment than white HCWs, and those from Asian and black ethnic groups were more likely to report having completed an assessment if offered. Ethnic minority HCWs had lower odds of reporting having their work change as a result of risk assessment. Those from Asian and black ethnic groups were more likely to report no changes to their working practices despite wanting them.Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower odds of being offered a risk assessment and having adjustments made to working practices. DISCUSSION: We found differences in risk assessment outcomes by ethnicity, other sociodemographic/occupational factors and actual/perceived COVID-19 risk factors. These findings are concerning and warrant further research using actual (rather than reported) risk assessment outcomes in an unselected cohort

Clinicians' use of breast cancer risk assessment tools according to their perceived importance of breast cancer risk factors: an international survey.

The BOADICEA breast cancer (BC) risk assessment model and its associated Web Application v3 (BWA) tool are being extended to incorporate additional genetic and non-genetic BC risk factors. From an online survey through the BOADICEA website and UK, Dutch, French and Swedish national genetic societies, we explored the relationships between the usage frequencies of the BWA and six other common BC risk assessment tools and respondents' perceived importance of BC risk factors. Respondents (N = 443) varied in age, country and clinical seniority but comprised mainly genetics health professionals (82%) and BWA users (93%). Oncology professionals perceived reproductive, hormonal (exogenous) and lifestyle BC risk factors as more important in BC risk assessment compared to genetics professionals (p values < 0.05 to 0.0001). BWA was used more frequently by respondents who gave high weight to breast tumour pathology and low weight to personal BC history as BC risk factors. BWA use was positively related to the weight given to hormonal BC risk factors. The importance attributed to lifestyle and BMI BC risk factors was not associated with the use of BWA or any of the other tools. Next version of the BWA encompassing additional BC risk factors will facilitate more comprehensive BC risk assessment in genetics and oncology practice