TY - JOUR
T1 - Information avoidance behavior
T2 - Does ignorance keep us uninformed about antimicrobial resistance?
AU - Meerza, Syed Imran Ali
AU - Brooks, Kathleen R.
AU - Gustafson, Christopher R.
AU - Yiannaka, Amalia
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Dr. Lisa Durso and Dr. Tommy L. Wheeler for valuable feedback on the AMR survey. This research is based on work supported by the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Agricultural Research Division (UNL ARD), under award 3904.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - We examine the role of subjective and objective knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic use in livestock production on information avoidance behavior. The study also assesses the effects of AMR information on perceptions of AMR. Survey data were collected from 1,030 individuals in the U.S. to evaluate knowledge and perceptions of AMR. Participants also made a choice to access or avoid AMR information in the form of an animated video produced for a lay audience. Results show that 39 percent of participants avoided AMR information and those with little or no subjective or objective knowledge of AMR were more likely to avoid information than more knowledgeable individuals. Among participants who chose to access AMR information, the perceived importance of AMR increased the most for those with little or no subjective knowledge of AMR, raising important questions about how to encourage willfully uninformed individuals to access information about critical issues.
AB - We examine the role of subjective and objective knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic use in livestock production on information avoidance behavior. The study also assesses the effects of AMR information on perceptions of AMR. Survey data were collected from 1,030 individuals in the U.S. to evaluate knowledge and perceptions of AMR. Participants also made a choice to access or avoid AMR information in the form of an animated video produced for a lay audience. Results show that 39 percent of participants avoided AMR information and those with little or no subjective or objective knowledge of AMR were more likely to avoid information than more knowledgeable individuals. Among participants who chose to access AMR information, the perceived importance of AMR increased the most for those with little or no subjective knowledge of AMR, raising important questions about how to encourage willfully uninformed individuals to access information about critical issues.
KW - Antimicrobial resistance
KW - Information avoidance
KW - Subjective and objective knowledge
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U2 - 10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102067
DO - 10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102067
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85103058139
SN - 0306-9192
VL - 102
JO - Food Policy
JF - Food Policy
M1 - 102067
ER -