HEALTH PRACTICE

Environmental and Public Health Practice



Environmental and Public Health Practice

Perception and concept of risk

In late modern society, there has been much debate and research on the topic and concept of risk. Also, the discussion have been done related to the risk's relevance and effects, its possibility and effects on the individual live and groups' lives. Also, risk is discussed in terms of its outlook and behavioural impact on the lives. Risk cannot be accurately defined of what is because it is at times specific and at times historic; it has various perceptions and definitions across the cultures and societies. The nature of risk is multi-dimensional and complex (scholarship.law.duke.edu).

Risk is perceived as being objective when the developing and establishing ideas are becoming scientific and when the degree of accuracy is central. According to the experts and their experts' knowledge, the factors of risk can be identified as the measurement with the use of assessment tools. Less attention is given to the individual's perception of risk and lay knowledge and the frequent management of risk.

The risk perceptions have been described by Pidgeon as the judgements, attitudes, beliefs of the people and their feelings along with the cultural and social values and people's preferred dispositions towards the hazards and its benefits. This definition describes that the risk perceptions are multidimensional by inheritance and there is more context sensitivity in the nature of risk than the formal measures of risk. This involves two dimensions which are magnitude of harm and probability which are mixed and decreased to the single dimension.

Risk is also defined by Rosa as the event or situation with the human value inclusive of humans which is at stake and the result is not certain. Many different people perceive risk in different ways. Social and cultural aspects give ...