Abstract
This dissertation presents the results for mixed qualitative and quantitative social science research on the evaluation of factors that influence and affect the risk perception, knowledge and behavior of two groups from Lake Ontario, NY and Fosu Lagoon, Ghana. The study determines whether fish advisories and other policies employed by health and environmental agencies help reduce exposure to contaminants in fish and protect health of people who eat fish from Lake Ontario have been followed. Fosu Lagoon has been identified, in recent years, to contain high levels of toxic substances and chemicals and has been labeled as the third most polluted Lagoon in Ghana. Yet there are no health advisories or policies in place to protect the health of the fishermen and people who eat fish from the Lagoon. Decline in fish stocks in the Fosu Lagoon as a result of pollution threatens the livelihoods of the fishermen. It is thus critical to identify strategies to restore the Lagoon, improve and sustain fish stock and health. In-depth interviews and a structured survey questionnaire were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine the Chi-Square value for different cross-tabulation of variables. The qualitative data was analyzed using the grounded theory, identifying patterns and supporting the main ideas with quotes from the interviews. Results indicate that both Lake Ontario anglers and Fosu Lagoon fishermen perceive the risk of eating fish from Lake Ontario and Fosu Lagoon as low. In the case of Lake Ontario, there is no significant difference in obtaining fish advisory information for both white and minority anglers. Certain social norms were identified to guide the participants fishing activities. The findings suggest that in addition to knowledge, the experiential aspect of culture and cognition may motivate individuals to make rational decisions. The study suggests that risk communication strategies that emphasize risk perception, social norms and cognition be used in promoting public health.