Risky Health Behaviours

Question 1

Describe risk assessments

Answer 1

Risk assessment process: measures risk w quantitative analysis. This process links identifiable risks directly w harm
Health risk is constructed by aggregating probabilities of actions linked to disease outcomes across population
Finds at risk groups e.g. smokers and targets them for health promotion intervention

Question 2

Describe issues arising from epidemiological construction of risk

Answer 2

• Transforms statistical relationships into causal factors for individuals – can neglect social/cultural contexts beyond control of individual
• Assumes all risk down to personal choice
• Assumes risk is controllable

Question 3

Social scientists argue the idea of ‘risk’ should be addressed in terms of…

Answer 3

1) Socio-cultural context in which lay people try to make sense of ‘expert’ risk assessments
2) Wider social/environmental context in which hazards and insecurities of modern industrialised societies occur

Question 4

Describe social construction of ‘risky’ behaviour

Answer 4

Emphasises cultural relativity of notion of risk - Lay people transform numbers into all or nothing messages and interpret them differently

e. g. “I won’t get cancer from smoking” or “I could be one who gets cancer”
- Distinction between social world of routine activities associated w/ unconsidered risks and unusual events

Question 5

What is the risk society thesis?

Answer 5

We’re now living through distinct period of history in which scientific progress = brink of environmental catastrophe

People forced to think through uncertain future – society as whole engage w/ prominence of environmental risk