Note that category names are given first, with additional clarifying information sometimes appearing in brackets. The category codes include the text in parentheses (if any is given), but not clarifying text occasionally present in brackets.
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Example of Code |
Publication Type
[If multiple codes apply, the code assigned is the highest that describes the publication.] |
| 1. Discussion |
“What is risk communication” |
| 2. Review |
“Overview of research on environmental risk communication” |
| 3. Case study |
“One town’s experience with environmental risk communication” |
| 4. Empirical |
“Formats for explaining risks used by physicians in a hospital” |
| 5. Intervention |
“A comparison of two formats for explaining health risks” |
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|
| Focus |
Emphasis in document |
| [The code assigned indicates the coder's judgment as to the issue or issues most emphasized. Sometimes several of these topics receive detailed attention in an article. A maximum of three focus codes were assigned to each article. If more than three topics received emphasis the code "11. Multiple" was used.] |
| 1. Communicator |
Physicians vs. peers as message source |
| 2. Audience |
Effects of individual differences on comprehension |
| 3. Setting |
Context of communication; Patient-provider relationship;
School setting vs. home setting; trust |
| 4. Channel |
Medium to deliver message; TV vs. Print media; Physicians vs. TV |
| 5. Content |
What information is communicated; Likelihood vs. Severity |
| 6. Format |
How risk information is presented/organized; Numbers vs. Graphics |
| 7. Outcome |
Consequences of receiving message; More worry? |
| 8. Measurement/evaluation |
How to study communication/perceptions;
Methodological; meta-analysis |
| 9. Risk perception/comprehension |
How/When/Why people understand/accept/recall risk info |
| 10. Decision aid |
Discusses/tests decision aids |
| 11. Multiple |
Multiple (3 or more) aspects of risk communication |
| 12. General |
Vague or broad discussion without much detail |
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|
| Communicator |
Source of message |
| 0. Communicator (general) |
Discusses role of communicator in general |
| 1. Authority figure (non-expert) |
Teacher |
| 2. Business/corporation/commercial group |
Chemical company, pharmaceutical company |
| 3. Celebrity |
Sports figure, actor/actress |
| 4. Expert/researcher/scientist |
Nuclear physicist, environmental engineer |
| 5. Governmental organization (NCI) |
National Cancer Institute, city government |
| 6. Investigator/experimenter |
Investigator for research project or intervention |
| 7. Health professional/worker in health care setting |
Physician, nurse, genetic counselor |
| 8. Non-governmental organization (Am. Lung Assoc.) |
American Heart Association |
| 9. Parent |
Mother or father |
| 10. Patient/peer/community member (affected) |
Person with HIV or cancer |
| 11. Peer/community member (not affected) |
Person without HIV or cancer |
| 12. Unspecified |
Article neglects to mention the type of communicator |
| 13. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 14. Media |
Newspaper, television, radio |
| |
|
| Audience role |
Receiver of message (but NOT gender, ethnicity) |
| 0. Audience role (general) |
Discusses role of audience in general |
| 1. Health/safety professional |
Physicians, nurses, genetic counselors |
| 2. Child/Pre-teen |
Less than 13 years old |
| 3. Teen |
13-19 years old |
| 4. College student/Graduate student |
Introductory psychology students |
| 5. Adult |
More than 20 years old |
| 6. Parent or prospective parent |
Mother / father |
| 7. Senior citizen |
Older person, as defined by article |
| 8. At risk/exposed-child or teen |
Child living with smokers |
| 9. At risk/exposed-adult |
Adults living in homes with high levels of radon |
| 10. At risk/exposed-parent of child |
Intervention focused on the parents of an asthmatic child |
| 11. At risk/exposed-senior citizen |
Senior citizen with low bone density |
| 12. Ill-child |
Child with cancer |
| 13. Ill-adult |
Adult with cancer |
| 14. Ill-parent of ill child |
Parent of child with cancer |
| 15. Ill-senior citizen |
Senior citizen with cancer |
| 16. General public |
Random telephone survey |
| 17. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 20. Patient (general) |
If none of the above patient categories are appropriate |
| 21. Other professionals and experts |
Risk communicators, social workers |
| ** An “at risk” population must have some risk factor beyond the normal population of the same age, gender, race, etc. For example, because all elderly people are at risk for osteoporosis, a random sample of elderly people is not “at risk.” However, if a study includes a group of elderly people with particularly low bone density they would be considered “at risk-senior citizen.” |
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|
| Audience gender |
Only if gender issues are discussed, even if they discuss both genders |
| 1. Female |
|
| 2. Male |
|
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|
| Audience ethnicity |
|
| 1. African-American |
|
| 2. Asian |
|
| 3. Caucasian |
|
| 4. Hispanic |
|
| 5. Native American |
|
| 6. Mixed/varied/multiple |
If more than one ethnic group is mentioned |
| 7. Other |
|
| ** In a cross-ethnicity comparison, each group compared is coded. |
| |
|
| Setting |
Where is the communication taking place? |
| 0. Setting (general) |
Discusses role of the setting in general |
| 1. Armed Forces |
Marine Corps, Army, Navy |
| 2. Community meeting/community group |
Town meeting regarding a power plant |
| 3. Focus group/small group |
Small group of people meet to evaluate risk messages |
| 4. General community |
Random telephone survey |
| 5. Health care setting |
Physician’s office |
| 6. Laboratory |
Research studies conducted at universities |
| 7. Prison |
Intervention implemented in prisons |
| 8. Educational setting: school or university |
NOT laboratory studies taking place in universities |
| 9. Workplace |
Intervention implemented at work |
| 10. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 11. Home |
Intervention implemented in the home |
| |
|
| Channels of risk communication |
Medium through which message is communicated |
| 0. Channels (general) |
Discusses communication channels in general |
| 1. Computer program (non-internet) |
CD-ROM discussing safer sex practices |
| 2. Internet (list serves, web pages) |
Web site discussing safer sex practices |
| 3. Lecture |
A person speaking in front of a large group of people |
| 4. One-on-one (face-to-face) |
A person speaking directly with one other person |
| 5. Pamphlets, newsletters, fact sheets, handouts, or questionnaires |
Including lab studies that distribute written information to participants |
| 6. Print media (newspaper or magazine) |
A news article regarding the risk of colon cancer |
| 7. Radio |
A radio show discussing colon cancer |
| 8. Small groups/focus groups |
Small group of people discuss cancer risks |
| 9. Telephone |
A live or recorded message describing cancer risks |
| 10. TV |
A television show discussing cancer risks |
| 11. Video |
A video discussing cancer risks |
| 12. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 21. Letter |
A letter mailed to homeowners regarding radon |
| 22. Community meetings/community groups |
A town meeting regarding radon |
| 23. Audiotape |
An audiotape discussing cancer risks |
| 24. Product label/packaging |
Warning labels on prescription medications |
| 26. Media-general |
If study doesn’t specify form of media involved |
| |
|
| Content of risk message |
What is in message? What is focus of message? |
| 0. Content (general) |
Discusses the role of content in general |
| 1. Cause/source/communicability of risk/mode of transmission |
AIDS is transmitted via… |
| 2. Communication style |
Authoritarian vs. sympathetic |
| 3. Definition of hazard |
Cancer results when certain cells… |
| 4. Expense of hazard |
Cost of treatment for disease |
| 5. Likelihood-absolute |
50% likelihood; “most likely” will happen |
| 6. Likelihood-comparative (across people or hazards) |
Are you more likely to develop breast cancer or lung cancer?
Are you more likely than the average woman your age to develop breast cancer? |
| 7. Possible health outcomes |
Diseases, death |
| 8. Possible psychosocial outcomes |
Depression, anxiety |
| 9. Preventability of hazard/personal control |
Exercising will reduce your risk… |
| 10. Risk factors |
Exposure levels, blood pressure, genetic risk |
| 11. Severity of outcome |
Extreme disfigurement or death |
| 12. Time course of hazard |
Death may result in two years |
| 13. Treatability of hazard consequences |
New drug therapies are available |
| 14. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 15. Costs/barriers/losses |
Testing takes 20 minutes; vaccine costs $5 |
| 16. Benefits/gains |
Penicillin is an effective treatment for… |
| 17. Skill building/instructions |
How to use a condom |
| 18. Reminder |
Reminder from insurance company to get mammogram |
| 19. General information about hazard |
HIV is… |
| 20. General information about recommended action |
Description of different tests |
| 21. Test results |
Genetic screening results |
| 22. Personalized information |
Information tailored to gender, exposure, etc. |
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|
| Form of risk information |
What formats are used to communicate risk information? |
| 0. Format (general) |
The role of risk formats in general |
| 1. Decision aid |
Usually explicitly state that a decision aid was used |
| 2. Graphical display |
Graphs, charts, visual displays |
| 3. Interactive |
Done on a computer, where feedback from participant is used in communication |
| 4. Text-numerical |
35%; 1 in 3 people |
| 5. Text-verbal |
Very high risk…; most people do not get… |
| 6. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 7. Oral/spoken |
Physician informing patient (regardless of verbal or numerical content) |
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|
| Outcomes |
What is an anticipated result of the communication? |
| 0. Outcomes (general) |
The role of outcomes in general |
| 1. Attitude |
Only drug users get AIDS |
| 2. Comprehension of message |
Asking to summarize communication |
| 3. Knowledge/Accuracy |
Identification of modes of HIV transmission |
| 4. Communicator-Audience relationship |
Trust |
| 5. Psychological distress/affect/concern/preoccupation |
Anxiety, depression |
| 6. Recall of message |
Rote repetition of information |
| 7. Risk perception-likelihood |
I have a 12% chance of getting… |
| 8. Risk perception-severity |
Diabetes would be painful |
| 9. Risk perception-other attribute of risk |
Risk acceptance |
| 10. Satisfaction/communication appraisal |
How would you rate the communication |
| 11. Actual information seeking behavior |
Picked up brochure on way out of lab |
| 12. Actual preventive health behavior/risky behavior |
Frequency of unsafe sex |
| 13. Actual testing/screening |
Going to get HIV test |
| 14. Actual treatment behavior |
Accepting antibiotic shot |
| 15. Actual other behavior |
Activism |
| 16. Intended information seeking behavior |
Plan to call hotline |
| 17. Intended preventive health behavior/risky behavior |
Plan to use condoms |
| 18. Intended testing/screening |
Plan to get genetic test |
| 19. Intended treatment behavior |
Plan to do chemotherapy |
| 20. Intended other behavior |
Plan to demonstrate at rally |
| 21. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 22. Perceptions of recommended action/treatment |
Chemotherapy does not have bad side effects |
| 23. Perceptions of efficacy/control |
I have the ability to convince my partner… |
| 24. Community or public response |
Community demonstrations |
| 25. Policy/regulation changes |
State requiring companies to behave in environmental ways |
| 26. Corporate response |
Engaging in environmental clean-up |
| 27. Information processing/decision-making process |
Measure response time |
| 28. Information/communication preferences |
Prefer video-based info over print |
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| Hazard |
What particular hazard is the article about |
| 0. Hazard (general) |
The role of hazards in general |
| 1. Alcohol |
Wine, beer |
| 2. Arthritis |
Rheumatoid or osteoarthritis |
| 3. Asthma/Emphysema/Chronic lung disease |
Asthma, lung disease |
| 4. Automobile safety |
Air bags, safety belts |
| 5. Birth defects |
Fetal alcohol syndrome, Downs syndrome |
| 6.0 Cancer |
Unspecified cancer |
| 6.1 Breast cancer |
Mammography screening |
| 6.2 Cervical cancer |
Pap screening |
| 6.3 Ovarian cancer |
Genetic testing for ovarian cancer |
| 6.4 Prostate cancer |
PSA screening, treatment options |
| 6.5 Skin cancer |
Sunscreen use, self-examinations |
| 6.9 Lung cancer |
Smoking cessation intervention to prevent lung cancer |
| 6.10 Pancreatic cancer |
Pancreatic cancer |
| 6.11 Bladder cancer |
Bladder cancer |
| 6.12 Colon cancer |
Dietary intervention for prevention |
| 6.13 Other cancer |
Liver cancer, kidney cancer |
| 7. Diabetes |
Dietary intervention for prevention |
| 8. Drug abuse |
Methadone treatment for heroine addiction |
| 9. Pollutants/chemical exposure |
Mercury in fishing streams |
| 10. Other environmental |
Flooding, climate change/not pollutants |
| 11. HIV/AIDS/STDs |
Safer sex interventions |
| 12. Other infectious diseases |
Lyme disease |
| 13. Hypertension/heart disease/stroke |
Dietary interventions for preventions |
| 14. Hypothetical risk |
Hypothetical disease or side effects |
| 15. Injury/safety |
Non-auto |
| 16. Radiation |
Radon, sun exposure, x-ray |
| 17. Smoking |
The risks of tobacco use |
| 18. Multiple (greater than 5) |
More than 5 hazards discussed |
| 19. General, unspecified |
Article discusses hazards but does not indicate type |
| 20. Other |
Does not fall into any other category |
| 21. Dental issues |
Gum disease, cavities |
| 22. Treatment related risks |
Nausea, hair loss from chemotherapy |
| 23. Food related risks |
Salmonella |
| 24. Menopause |
Hormone replacement therapy |
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| Methodological issues |
|
| 1. Evaluation criteria |
How to determine effectiveness of risk communication |
| 2. Measurement |
Studies of different response formats |
| 3. Other |
Theoretical issues |
