Risk

Question 1

Define risk perception [1]

Answer 1

Risk perception is a judgment of the adverse consequences of a particular hazard and can be made by an individual, a group of people, or society

Perceived control – am I in control or is someone else?

Question 2

Name key factors that influence risk perception [5]

Answer 2

Previous experiences
Family concerns: People in larger families usually consider the risk of harmful impacts to be higher due to their concern for familial safety
Analytical way of thinking
Trust: People’s sense of trust in their government, hazard experts, and family affects the way they receive risk messages and the decisions made
The type of hazard: People are more concerned about the severity of negative impacts, not how likely the impacts are to occur.

Question 3

Name three ways that people act when face with threat [3]

Answer 3

They could assimilate that and change behaviour (or attitude)
They can act defensively
Sseek self-affirmation in other areas of their lives

Question 4

Describe the difference between gain fraiming and loss framing

Answer 4

Loss framing e.g. risks of not being screened leads to greater uptake than gain framing (benefits)

Gain framing better for prevention behaviour like sunscreen application

Question 5

Define syndemics

Answer 5

‘entwined and mutually enhancing health problems’ fuelled by social and economic inequities
Not about co-occurrence but the interactions of disease, social, environmental, economic conditions

Question 6

What is SAVA and describe how it occurs as a syndemic?

Answer 6

SAVA: substance abuse, violence and HIV/AIDS: syndemic understanding of viral load suppression

Antiretroviral therapy for virus submission is both a public health issue and a personal health issue:
* Rates of viral suppression is lowest in African American women
* Psychosocial issues which prevent HIV suppression/medication adherence
* History of trauma and abuse
* Poor mental health
* Drug and alcohol use
* Intimate partner violence

All these issues compounded for women of colour

Question 7

What are Zola’s Triggers to Consultation? [5]

Answer 7

The occurrence of an interpersonal crisis.

Perceived interference with social or personal relations.

Perceived interference with vocational or physical activity.

“Temporalising” – setting a personal deadline.

“Sanctioning” – pressure/permission from other people to consult.

Question 8

What are Mechanic’s 10 variables known to influence illness behaviour [10]

Answer 8

1. Visibility and recognisability of symptoms.
2. Perceived seriousness of symptoms for present and future.
3. The extent to which symptoms disrupt family, work, social activities.
4. The frequency of symptoms, their persistence or recurrence.
5. The tolerance threshold of the person exposed to symptoms.
6. Available information, knowledge and cultural assumptions and understanding
7. Denial of symptoms.
8. Needs that compete with illness responses.
9. Competing possible interpretations assigned to symptoms once recognised. (Normalisation)
10. Availability of treatment resources; proximity, access, cost, etc.