Assessing Perception of Causality Among the Public
Principal Investigator: Drew Helmer, MD, MS
Background: The differences between expert and lay opinions about causality have not been explored in a systematic, holistic manner. Establishing a common framework upon which to base discussions of causality may improve the chances of successful communication about environmental exposures and possible health effects. This project will create a survey instrument for use in the general public to assess individuals’ understanding of causality.
Research Plan: Survey items will be developed from existing literature. A pool of items will be constructed in and experts will be asked to comment on the list for clarity, cogency and relevance in a modified Delphi process. Two focus groups in each of three target communities in New Jersey will discuss their understanding of causality and comment on proposed instrument items. The items will be finalized and the number of items pruned, enabling completion of the instrument in less than 10 minutes. This survey will be pilot tested anonymously in 100 people from each of three primary care providers recruited from the VA-NJHCS.
Method: The taped focus group discussions will be transcribed and systematically analyzed for recurring themes. The items will be altered and pruned based on the general and specific comments made during the discussions.
The anonymous survey results will be entered into a database on a password protected, secure computer. The data will be summarized by descriptive statistics, and factor analyzed for item performance and subscale construction.
Impact: The first product of the study will be a qualitative summary of general public perceptions of causality. A summary of the results will be written and submitted for publication as “lessons learned” for risk communication in the context of environmental health concerns. The second product will be a face valid survey of the general public to evaluate the understanding of causal associations. This survey will be essential to future studies of risk perception and communication in the areas of environmental exposures.
Status: The project is ongoing.