title: On the epistemology of risk: language, logic and social science.
abstract: 'Risk' is a widely used concept in literatures related to health, health care and medicine. In recent decades, three bodies of literature have emerged in which 'risk' is the primary focus of concern: Health Risk Appraisal, the Risk Approach and Risk Analysis/Assessment/Management. These literatures overlook important concepts and theoretical developments in contemporary social science. They also lack conceptual coherence. Reduction of incoherence will require re-examination of the epistemology of risk in relation to both its language and its logic in light of developments in social science.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D004194:Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008128:Logic; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000639:trends; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012942:Social Sciences