PMID- 16312961
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20060712
LR  - 20161124
IS  - 0273-1223 (Print)
IS  - 0273-1223 (Linking)
VI  - 52
IP  - 8
DP  - 2005
TI  - Perception of tap water risks and quality: a structural equation model approach.
PG  - 143-9
AB  - The present study aims to test a model of tap water risk and quality perception. 
      A questionnaire was designed and applied to a convenience sample of 499 people in 
      Portugal. The model includes aesthetic variables (colour, odour, and flavour), 
      contextual indicators and risk perception. Other variables were also considered, 
      including external information, trust in water companies, familiarity with tap 
      water, and past water-related health problems. A behavioural outcome--drinking 
      tap water--was also studied. Due to multivariate non-normality (Mardia's 
      Coefficient (G2,P) = 460.3), the AGLS estimator was used for the structural 
      equation model (SEM). A triangulation approach with multivariate regression 
      analysis was used to explain the use of tap water to drink and to propose a more 
      holistic model that could not be tested using SEM. Results show that perceived 
      water quality is largely influenced by flavour. Other factors, such as perceived 
      risk and contextual indicators, also have a role but their relevance is 
      relatively weak. On the other hand, risk perception seems to be mainly a result 
      of external information, past health problems, and water colour. Finally, the use 
      of tap water to drink at home can be moderately explained and depends mostly on 
      the ability to use alternatives (i.e. bottled water), tap water taste, and 
      perceived risk.
FAU - de Franca Doria, M
AU  - de Franca Doria M
AD  - Centre for Environmental Risk, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
FAU - Pidgeon, N
AU  - Pidgeon N
FAU - Hunter, P
AU  - Hunter P
LA  - eng
PT  - Comparative Study
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - England
TA  - Water Sci Technol
JT  - Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on 
      Water Pollution Research
JID - 9879497
SB  - IM
MH  - Humans
MH  - *Models, Theoretical
MH  - Odorants
MH  - Portugal
MH  - Regression Analysis
MH  - Risk Assessment
MH  - Surveys and Questionnaires
MH  - Taste
MH  - Water Supply/*analysis/*standards
EDAT- 2005/11/30 09:00
MHDA- 2006/07/13 09:00
CRDT- 2005/11/30 09:00
PHST- 2005/11/30 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2006/07/13 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2005/11/30 09:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Water Sci Technol. 2005;52(8):143-9.