Public understanding of food risks in four European countries: a qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
In the wake of the 'bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis' there was renewed interest in how those responsible for public health could take account of public views, both to 'democratize' policy making and to increase the likelihood of information about health risks resonating with public concerns. This study explored how members of the public in four European countries (Finland, Germany, Italy and the UK) understood food risks in general, and risks arising from BSE in particular. The aims were to identify the sources of knowledge used and trusted by the public and to explore how public views could be accessed for public health information policy.


METHODS
Thirty-six focus group interviews were held using a common protocol across the four countries, including people from four life-cycle stages.


RESULTS
The study demonstrated the utility of using focus groups as a relatively efficient method for accessing public views, and the feasibility of cross-national qualitative research on public views. We found that public views of food risks are neither irrational nor naïve, but that they do need to be interpreted in the context of everyday food purchasing decisions, in which particular food risks are unlikely to have the same salience as they do for experts.


CONCLUSIONS
Focus groups are a feasible method for accessing public knowledge on public health risks to inform information strategies.
Green
Judith M
JM
HSRU, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK. Judith.green@lshtm.ac.uk
Draper
Alizon K
AK
Dowler
Elizabeth A
EA
Fele
Giolo
G
Hagenhoff
Vera
V
Rusanen
Maria
M
Rusanen
Timo
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D032882:Comprehension; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform; D005060:Europe; D017144:Focus Groups; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011639:Public Opinion; D036301:Qualitative Research; D018570:Risk Assessment