Table 3.
Mean scores or frequencies (standard deviations or %) for Study 2.
| Scale or itema | Polonium 210 | Carbon monoxide | Anthrax | Swine flub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mysterious | 3.50 (0.82)c,d | 2.63 (0.74)e,f | 3.40 (0.72)c,d | 2.7 (0.72)e,f |
| Serious health effects | 3.82 (0.59)c,f | 2.44 (0.71)e,f | 3.98 (0.57)c,e | Not used |
| Hidden health effects | 3.39 (0.55)c,f | 2.94 (0.67)e,f | 3.25 (0.60)c,e | Not used |
| Easy to spot | 1.93 (0.67)c,f | 2.09 (0.77)e | 2.19 (0.66)e | Not used |
| Difficult to discriminate symptoms | 3.35 (0.65)c,f | 3.59 (0.69)e,f | 3.23 (0.59)c,e | Not used |
| ‘At-risk’ groups exist | 3.78 (0.82)c,d | 4.01 (0.80)d,e,f | 3.83 (0.79)c,d | 4.17 (0.69)c,e,f |
| I think that X can affect your health if | ||||
| You breathe in air that contains X | 3.76 (0.79)c,d,f | 4.39 (0.77)d,e,f | 4.09 (0.77)c,e | 4.03 (0.73)c,e |
| You eat food that has been contaminated by X and has not been cooked | 3.93 (0.81)c,d | 2.42 (1.04)d,e,f | 3.83 (0.83)c,d | 3.42 (10.1)c,e,f |
| You eat food that has been contaminated by X and has been cooked | 3.86 (0.84)c,d,f | 2.29 (0.98)d,e,f | 3.52 (0.86)c,d,e | 2.64 (0.96)c,e,f |
| You touch X but do not breathe it in or put it near your mouth | 3.33 (0.86)c,d | 2.05 (0.93)d,e,f | 3.37 (0.92)c,d | 2.95 (1.01)c,e,f |
| You are coughed or sneezed on by a person who is currently ill because of X | 2.73 (0.86)c,d,f | 1.87 (0.81)d,e,f | 3.25 (0.92)c,d,e | 4.18 (0.70)c,e,f |
| You come within 1 m (3 ft) of polonium 210, but do not breathe it in or touch itg | 3.06 (0.84) | Not asked | Not asked | Not asked |
| How long does it usually take for the first signs of ill health to start to appear?h | ||||
| Less than 24 hours | 145 (28.7%) | 335 (66.1%) | 192 (37.9%) | 27 (5.3%) |
| 24 hours to 2 days | 210 (41.5%) | 91 (17.9%) | 214 (42.3%) | 290 (56.8%) |
| 3 to 6 days | 72 (14.2%) | 29 (5.7%) | 58 (11.5%) | 158 (30.9%) |
| 1 to 2 weeks | 37 (7.3%) | 18 (3.6%) | 22 (4.3%) | 32 (6.3%) |
| 3 weeks to 1 month | 12 (2.4%) | 12 (2.4%) | 11 (2.2%) | 2 (0.4%) |
| 1 to 2 months | 10 (2.0%) | 4 (0.8%) | 2 (0.4%) | 0 (0%) |
| More than 2 months | 20 (4.0%) | 18 (3.6%) | 7 (1.4%) | 2 (0.4%) |
All significant differences were at the p < .01 level.
a
All scores range from 1 to 5, except for ‘how long does it usually take for the first signs of ill health to start to appear’. High scores indicate greater agreement with the scale or item.
b
Only scores for scales that were directly comparable to the other questionnaire versions are given.
c
Significantly different to carbon monoxide.
d
Significantly different to swine flu.
e
Significantly different to polonium 210.
f
Significantly different to anthrax.
g
Only asked for the polonium 210 version.
h
Frequencies (%) given.