A content analysis of Internet resources about the risks of seafood consumption |
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| Authors: | Heather C Henderson Jie Hong Dwayne E Porter Angela C Halfacre Geoffrey I Scott |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA;2. Center for Environmental Nanoscience and Risk, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA;3. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA;4. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA;5. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Political Science and David E. Shi Center for Sustainability, Furman University, Greenville, SC, USA |
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| Abstract: | Seafood consumption is a main source of human exposure to certain environmental contaminants. Therefore, it is valuable to assess the online health risk messages focused on this topic, as people in the US are increasingly accessing the Internet for health-related information. Previous research indicates that online health information tends to be written at a reading level that is more advanced than ability of the general population. The purpose of this research was to examine the content and readability of Internet resources targeted toward consumers in the US regarding the health risks from consumption of contaminated seafood. Sources for analysis were gathered through a targeted search of state and national government websites, as well as through a Google search. The overall mean readability level was Grade 9.21, which is slightly above the average reading level of US adults. Future research should evaluate the accuracy of the health risk messages, as well as consumer perceptions of risk. |
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| Keywords: | Internet reading level risk communication seafood consumption health communication |
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