Community and individual reaction to environmental hazards: Developing a measurement technology

This study was an attempt to develop an efficient method of monitoring and assessing how members of a community react to a toxic hazard in their community. The intent was to develop a short instrument which could be applied in multiple settings, or in the same setting several times. The methodology was a short questionnaire that addressed six issues: sources of information about the hazard, beliefs about justice and responsibility, beliefs about why the hazard is a problem, extent of active concern, involvement in community affairs, and satisfaction with life. A mailed questionnaire was developed and tested in a community near an EPA Superfund site in the United States. Results of the effort are discussed relative to the particular community studied, and relative to furthering the assessment technology begun in this research.