The Effects of Risk Perceptions Related to Particulate Matter on Outdoor Activity Satisfaction in South Korea

Bomi Kim, Eun Joo Yoon, Songyi Kim and Dong Kun Lee
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Bomi Kim: Interdisciplinary Program in Landscape Architecture, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Eun Joo Yoon: Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, Sejong 30147 Korea
Songyi Kim: Tourism Policy Research Division, Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, Seoul 08826, Korea
Dong Kun Lee: Department of Landscape Architecture and Rural System Engineering, Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: In recent years, the Korean public has become aware of the form of air pollution known as particulate matter, with a consequent growth of public anxiety causing a negative risk perception about outdoor activity. This study aims at determining the causal relationship between risk perceptions about particulate matter and outdoor activity satisfaction in South Korea. An Internet survey was conducted with 412 people, and a structural equation model was used to perform confirmatory factor analysis. The statistically significant results show that the perceived risk of particulate matter is higher when people do not show interest in or trust public opinion or policy on the subject. This increases people’s perceptions of health risks, which in turn lowers their satisfaction with outdoor activity. Although trust levels in public opinion or policy had a positive impact on outdoor activity satisfaction, this was not statistically significant. These results are expected to contribute to risk communication guidelines in public opinion reporting and to the direction of environmental health policies in developing countries with high levels of air pollution, such as particulate matter.

Keywords: air pollution; outdoor activities satisfaction scale (OASS); PM 10; PM 2.5; South Korea; structural equation model (SEM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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