thz-bridge workshop capri, september 29 - october 2, 2002 istituto superiore di sanità national...
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THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
PERCEPTION OF RISKS FROM PERCEPTION OF RISKS FROM
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS:ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS:
LESSONS FOR THE FUTURELESSONS FOR THE FUTURE
Paolo VecchiaNational Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
PERCEPTION OF RISKS OF EMFPERCEPTION OF RISKS OF EMF
The Commission adopted a programme of Community action on pollution-related diseases which takes account of the fact that health risks, including those associated with electromagnetic fields, are often perceived by the public very differently from what is established by scientific evidence.
Council of the European Union, Recommendation 12 July 1999.
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
WHAT IS “RISCHIO”, “RISQUE”, “RIESGO”?WHAT IS “RISCHIO”, “RISQUE”, “RIESGO”?
The pure possiblity for a negative event to occur(English: hazard)
Some mathematical combination of the impact of a possible negative effect and the probability of its occurrence(English: risk)
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
MATHEMATICAL DEFINITION OF RISKMATHEMATICAL DEFINITION OF RISK
It is generally assumed (explicitly or implicitly) that risk is the product of the possible detriment times the probability, i.e.:
R = D .PIn the case of health risks (rather than accidents), also the “credibility” of a hazard to actually exist (e.g. the IARC classification) should be taken into account:
R = D .P .C
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
SUBJECTIVE EFFECTS AND RISK PERCEPTIONSUBJECTIVE EFFECTS AND RISK PERCEPTION
Subjective effects of electromagnetic fields have been reported both within workers and the general public.
The following questions arise: Effects are real or due to suggestion? In the case they are real, they are due to:
Exposure (hypersensitivity)? Psychosomatic mechanisms? Other factors?
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
ARE ARE SCIENTIFICSCIENTIFIC ANSWERS POSSIBLE? ANSWERS POSSIBLE?
Yes
Reported disturbances, are, at least partially, due
to suggestion or psychosomatic effects.
Scientific bases: Provocation tests Controlled statistical studies Effects in the absence of exposure
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
PROVOCATION TESTSPROVOCATION TESTS
“Hypersensitive” subjects are exposed to a source that may be on/off with no awareness.
High correlation between guess and
symptoms
No correlation between guess and status
of the source
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
FURTHER QUESTIONSFURTHER QUESTIONS
To what extent are these pseudo-effects due to a distorted risk perception?
What causes distortion?
What is the role of (bad) risk communication?
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
FACTORS INFLUENCING RISK PERCEPTIONFACTORS INFLUENCING RISK PERCEPTION
• Catastrophic potential• Familiarity with the agent• Understanding of mechanisms• Uncertainty of knowledge• Controllability of risk• Voluntarity of exposure• Effects on children• Effects on future generations• Indentificability of victims
• Relevance of effects• Trust in institutions• Attention of media• Previous accidents• Equity of risks and benefits• Clarity of benefits• Irreversibility of effects• Personal involvement• Scientific evidence• Human or natural origin
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
THE ROLE OF INFORMATIONTHE ROLE OF INFORMATION
Distorted information: Doll Report
Partial information: Laterality effect of mobile phones Animal studies on RF fields
Missing information (good news is no news): Epidemiological studies on mobile phones
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
DIFFICULTIES OF SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONDIFFICULTIES OF SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION
The public requires communication of scientific
findings to be timely and understandable
Simplification conflicts with rigour (science
can never say “safe”)
Transparency conflicts with quality assurance
(peer review)
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
EFFECTS OF RISK PERCEPTIONEFFECTS OF RISK PERCEPTION
A distorted risk perception has both social and health implications:
Anxiety and psychosomatic disturbances are an objective health detriment.
A priori attribution of real effects to EMF exposure may prevent investigation of true causes.
Social tension is also a health damage.
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
RISK PERCEPTION AND WORRYRISK PERCEPTION AND WORRY
Less worried More worried
No symptoms 50% 31%
At least one symptom 50% 69%
McMahan S., Meyer J. (1995). Symptom prevalence and worry about high voltage transmission lines. Environ. Reas. 70: 114-118.
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
WHICH LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE?WHICH LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE?
New technologies are likely to face problems of
risk perception due to:
Lack of familiarity with the agent
Lack of understanding of mechanisms
Uncertainty of knowledge
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
EXTREMELY HIGH FREQUENCY EMFEXTREMELY HIGH FREQUENCY EMF
Technologies based on EHF EMFs are a frontier.
They are new to engineers, biologists, and health
scientists, and this can create fear of the
unknown
They are likely to spread out before their
consequences are fully understood and that can
create uncertainty
THz-BRIDGE Workshop Capri, September 29 - October 2, 2002
Istituto Superiore di Sanità National Institute of Health
AVOIDING DISTORSION OF RISK PERCEPTIONAVOIDING DISTORSION OF RISK PERCEPTION
Promote specific research on biological
and health effects
Ensure correct transfer of scientific data
Establish an effective dialogue between the
scientific community and the public