title: Discerning the impact of personal and situational variables in risk perception of coronary heart disease.
abstract: Research into how people perceive risk has highlighted the interaction between the available information and personal variables and their impact on judgement. This study sought to identify demographic and health variables that influenced risk and the influence of individual risk assessment, dispositional optimism and negative affect on judgement. A total of 476 participants were asked to make risks judgements of 24 vignettes depicting hypothetical risk scenarios. The findings showed that while people are able to correctly recognise, in others, relevant risk factors for coronary heart disease, risk perception is likely to imply a personal consideration of the same risk factors in themselves.
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Piaget, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Figueiras
authors.affiliation: 2 ISPA-IU, Portugal.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maroco
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Piaget, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Piaget, Portugal.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caeiro
authors.affiliation: 1 Instituto Piaget, Portugal.
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Neto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D010551:Personality; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: community health promotion; heart disease; public health; risk perception; vignettes