Researchers have looked at the social and psychological conditions associated with living near environmental pollution. For example, it has been shown that fear of cancer is more prevalent in communities located near toxic exposure sites. But overall, surprisingly little is known about the effect that being close to a suspected environmental health hazard may have on the perception of risk from that hazard. Many factors are probably involved, including economics, education, and the characteristics of the hazard itself. This study will add to our understanding of the relationship between hazard proximity and risk perception by looking at data collected in a survey of over 20 communities in which cancer rates are of concern due to suspected environmental health hazards. Locations in which cancer cluster investigations have been conducted were surveyed and approximately 1,000 respondents have participated. The survey provides information on how individuals see the risks associated with local hazards, how they interact with information about these hazards, how they view the credibility of various information sources concerning local cancer rates and their level of concern about cancer itself. The analysis to be conducted in this investigation will link these survey responses, by street address, to a variety of other data that are available through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Additional sources of data will include, for example, the Toxics Release Inventory and state Cancer Registries. Through the application of GIS and spatial analysis the project will examine the role played by a number of elements that together may influence how proximity affects risk perception. The outcome of this work will be a quantitatively demonstrated model of spatial risk with sufficient rigor to serve as a foundation for ongoing attention to this problem by investigators across a range of disciplines. Finally, it is clear that merging databases such as the Toxics Release Inventory and Cancer Registries using the Web and GIS will be an important force in the future definition of concern over hazards and the manner in which individuals and society views risk.
