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Customer perceptions of agency risk communication
1Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA.
Summary
Customers want government agencies to improve risk communication, especially regarding environmental and human health. A survey shows customers find communication important but ineffective, suggesting new channels are needed.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Risk Communication
- Environmental Science
Background:
- A government agency, traditionally focused on plant and animal health, sought to understand customer perceptions of its risk information.
- Customer concerns are shifting towards environmental and human health, diverging from the agency's historical focus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a baseline for evaluating the agency's risk communication effectiveness.
- To identify customer priorities and preferred channels for risk messages.
Main Methods:
- A mail survey was conducted with a 70% response rate, enabling subgroup analysis based on customer interests.
- Analysis focused on customer views of risk information importance, effectiveness, satisfaction, and interaction with the agency.
Main Results:
- Customers perceive many risk communication activities as important but rate the agency's effectiveness in conducting them as low.
- Moderate satisfaction exists with received risk information, yet customer contact and interaction with the agency are limited.
- Customers utilize alternative information sources, indicating potential channels for the agency's risk messages.
Conclusions:
- The agency needs to enhance its risk communication strategies to align with emerging environmental and human health concerns.
- Identifying and utilizing alternative communication channels can improve message delivery and engagement.
- This study serves as a foundational model for future risk communication evaluations by government agencies.