Risk perception related to depletion of the ozone layer and UV-B radiation in the arctic

Increase in UV-B radiation, due to stratospheric ozone depletion, is an environmental threat to arctic ecosystems and the health of their inhabitants. The aims of this longitudinal study are to provide basic population risk perception data related to UV-B and ozone depletion, and to compare the UV-B risk perception over time and with risk perception related to other objects and occurrences. A survey questionnaire, calling for a total of 118 judgments, measures risk perception, worries, and anticipated consequences. In the 1996 study, 143 persons completed the questionnaire, 34 of whom belong to the indigenous Sami population. Risk perception and the possibility of protecting oneself against 13 risks were measured on 7-point scales. The mean risk rating for depletion of the ozone layer and UV-B radiation was moderate to high. The possibility of protection was rated relatively low. Women, the youngest, and respondents in the North were most worried and perceived the highest risks. The Sami respondents are less worried and perceive a lower risk, a realistic short-term evaluation due to their protection by pigment in the skin and their clothing habits.