Importance of evaluating the context within which notification occurs.
Workers' response to notification about health effects from exposure to toxic materials is determined not just by the content of the message but also by the "context" within which notification occurs, that is, the workers' prenotification knowledge, attitudes, and experiences concerning environmental health risks in general as well as the health problem that is the subject of the notification. In many cases, workers already have a high level of awareness of environmental health issues and are also aware that their work environments could be bad for their health, before receiving official notification of a particular health risk. This is one reason why worker notification programs often have limited impacts on the workers' health behaviors. To understand this process, researchers should assess workers' baseline attitudes and behaviors and study how they affect response to notification. Persons conducting notification programs should evaluate workers' prenotification attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, and use this information in planning notification efforts.
Houts
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PS
Department of Behavioral Science, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey 17033.
McDougall
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D001364:Awareness; D003142:Communication; D017007:Duty to Warn; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012306:Risk