Public Meetings About Suspected Cancer Clusters: The Impact of Voice, Interactional Justice, and Risk Perception on Attendees' Attitudes in Six Communities

Katherine A. McComas Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USACorrespondence[email protected]

Craig W. Trumbo Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

John C. Besley University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA

Pages 527-549 | Published online: 29 Aug 2007

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https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730701508245

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Abstract

Holding a public meeting is a frequent method of communicating with community residents during official investigations into possible cancer clusters; however, there has been little formal research into the effectiveness of this method of health communication. This article presents research examining the influence of public meetings held during ongoing cancer cluster investigations in six U.S. communities. Drawing on social psychological theories of organizational justice, it examines the degree to which three specific elements of justice, including having a voice in the process, receiving fair interactional treatment, and facing equal risk of loss (i.e., cancer), influenced five outcome variables: meeting satisfaction, community connectedness, willingness to accept meeting outcomes or recommendations, willingness to attend future public meetings, and concern about the potential cancer cluster. The analysis of data collected from meeting attendees who responded to the mailed survey (N = 165) confirms a strong role for justice concerns in public meeting evaluations. In particular, perceptions of voice and interactional treatment had consistently large effects on the outcome variables, suggesting that managing a fair public engagement process can contribute to positive civic outcomes even during periods of heightened community concern about area cancer rates.

This study was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (SES0443028).

Notes

¹Although many members of the public have concerns about cancer clusters, scientists who study cancer often have found it difficult to provide the public with definitive answers. As the CDC website notes, “The complex nature of cancer makes it inherently challenging to identify, interpret, and address cancer clusters” (CDC, Citation2005). According to the CDC, age, gender, race, risk factors, and type, among other things, can influence incidences of cancer, and what appears as a cluster may in fact be a random occurrence. Many public advocates, as well as some scientists who study cancer, believe that there are also interaction effects between chemicals in the environment and incidences of cancer and often request funds for studies to locate these interaction effects. In the spirit of promoting a fair process, it is important that health officials discuss with the public about the sorts of studies necessary to locate these interaction effects and the challenges associated with identifying the effects.

²Comparing our count of citizens attending the meetings with each meeting's respective sign-in sheet, we estimate that at least 80% of attendees signed in at the meetings.

Note. Responses were 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree.

^aWording for Marin County read: “Citizens were given an opportunity to voice their concerns at this meeting.”

^bWording for Marin County read: “Citizens were given an opportunity to ask their questions at this meeting.”

^cResponses ranged from 1 = less concerned to 3 = about the same to 5 = more concerned.

∗p < .05;

∗∗p < .001 two-tailed.