Health risks
Web Guides
1 Introduction to risk
A set of useful figures on risk from the Health and Safety Executive.
A set of on-line teaching materials with information, quizzes and information on a range of risks at a fairly basic level.
An education site with explanations and activities on risk, some more detailed than required.
The difference between absolute risk and relative risk is well explained in this article from Patient UK.
2 Public attitudes to risk. Be aware of the range of factors which can influence people's willingness to accept specific risks.
People make decisions based on a false awareness of the true risk. The actual figures for the UK are given by the National Statistics Department of the Government.
The HSE has published a very thorough and theoretical 50 page report on public attitudes to risk with some useful summaries. Background reading, not teaching material.
3 A study of a claimed risk to health. Methods of collecting evidence.
An article from the Open University summarises the research leading to the confirmation of the link between smoking and lung cancer and describes the difference between case control and prospective studies.
'Hitting the headlines' in the the National Electronic Library for Health evaluates media health stories, going back to the original paper and considering who did the research, their objectives and conclusions and then gives an evaluation of the claims. A very good model for evaluating any media story.
4 A study of a claimed risk to health. The interpretation of statistical evidence Differing interpretations of evidence.
The American Council on Science and Health publish reports on a range of health risks, critically examining received wisdom.
Forest, an organisation for smokers, presents a carefully argued case against the hypothesis that passive smoking is harmful.
Different ways of expressing risk and the effect it has on people's decisions.
5 Heart disease. Patterns of incidence, risk factors and the evidence for proposed links.
A general description of the Framingham heart study.
Calculate your individual risk score for heart disease, but you do need to know cholesterol level. and blood pressure.
Risk of heart disease from passive smoking. The results of a meta-analysis published by Bandolier can be found by clicking here.
Effect of lifestyle on death and disease a summary.
6 Appreciate the particular difficulties in providing clear evidence about the causes of events which occur with very low frequency. Recognise the particular problem of 'proving a negative'.
A discussion of the health scares around the use of phthalates from George Mason University.
An EU site giving results of research into phthalates as well as press releases on the issue.
The PVC toys manufacturers have published their opinion on phthalates.
The women's environmental network and the WWF believe that phthalates do present a real risk.
7 Be aware of the contribution of risk assessment to decisions about the management of risk.
An activity on individual attitudes to the risk posed by binge drinking from upd8.
Information on the risk of binge drinking.
More information on the effects of alcohol from the BBC.
The National Consumer Council carried out research on consumers' attitudes to a range of risks and on factors influencing their decisions.
The UK Government provides information on communicating risk mostly with advice for Government departments on how to interact with the public on issues involving risk.
Other government commissioned research on the public attitude to risk includes Risk literacy and the Public.
Decision analysis activity, fairly mathematical but a useful approach.
8 Sources of statistical information.
The trends in causes of death in the UK over the last hundred years are shown for a wide range of causes in an article in Health Statistics Quarterly.
Animated graphical representation of international statistics.
World Health Organisation report for 2002 was entitled Reducing risks, promoting healthy life. It contains lots of international comparisons and discussions about ways of reducing health risks.
9 Other resources
Exploring the Issues, photocopiable study guides with discussion points and activities can be ordered from:
Independence Educational Publishers, PO Box 295, Cambridge CB1 3XP
Tel: 01223 566130
Fax: 01223 566131
Some study guide titles :
Alcohol-Heart Disease-Cancer-Smoking-Drugs in Sport-Vegetarianism-Illegal Drugs
AS/A2 General studies resource pack 2001 ISBN 086003 254 X
Topics ; Genetically modified food , Health scare(MMR vaccine), Science and the public.
Written by Dr Colin Swatridge and published by Phillip Allen Updates.
THE NEXT BIG THING 2000 30 mins. Vega Science Trust for Open University.
A video debate on risk can be borrowed from the Wellcome Trust 020 7611 8596/7 or email mfvi@wellcome.ac.uk.