LAY UNDERSTANDING OF SYNERGISTIC RISK - THE CASE OF RADON AND CIGARETTE-SMOKING

The combination of radon and smoking produces a synergistic risk of lu ng cancer. Lay understanding of this risk was examined from the perspe ctives of mental models theory, the psychometric approach to risk perc eption, and optimistic bias. As assessed by interview, participants (N = 50) had more extensive mental models for the risks of smoking than for the risks of radon or the combination of radon and smoking; 32% kn ew little or nothing about radon. Despite reading an informational bro chure, their risk-perception ratings of the three hazards showed no pe rception of the synergy between smoking and radon risk, although the c ombined hazard was rated as less familiar but more controllable than t he average of the single hazards (p <.01). No evidence of optimistic b ias for the health consequences of radon, or the combination of radon and smoking was observed. Participants appeared to be combining the si ngle-hazard risks subadditively to arrive at their combined-hazard ris k perceptions. Further research on the integration of perceived risks would be beneficial for designing optimal communications about synergi stic risk.