Health-risk perception in the inner city community of Centro Habana, Cuba

Perceptions of health risks were surveyed in the inner city of Centro Habana, Cuba. A questionnaire developed by community leaders and experts was administered to 348 residents to determine the level of perceived risk for each of 41 risk items. Ecologic-level data on morbidity, mortality, and environmental indicators were also gathered. Using factor analysis to reduce the dimensionality of the data, five factor groupings accounted for 60% of the variance, as follows: social environment (40.8%); infectious agents and other health-risk factors of immediate concern (6.1%); lifestyle risks (4. 9%); environmental sanitation (4.1%); and living conditions (3.3%). A relationship between the perception of risk and the ecologic data was found, with inconsistencies largely attributable to factors known to influence risk perception. The greatest concern identified throughout the municipality was housing conditions, highest in the neighborhood that had already begun to address this problem. The analysis was useful in planning targeted health promotion campaigns and prioritizing further interventions. Repeat evaluation of risk perception will be conducted following the completion of interventions.