Beachgoers' responses to beach health advisories

Jones J., Aslan A., Nazaruk D., Zeki S.

JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH, cilt.22, ss.565-571, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 22
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.2166/wh.2024.306
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.565-571
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Drawing on responses from 238 beachgoers who have visited a Georgia (U.S. state) beach in the past 3 years, this study asks respondents about their knowledge of beach water quality monitoring, awareness of beach health advisories, perception of water quality, and expected responses upon learning of a beach's water pollution advisory. Binomial logistic regression finds that the only demographic predictor of respondents who would completely stop visiting to a beach with an advisory is whether the respondent is a visitor or resident (year-round or part-time). Nearly 40% of visitors would not come to a beach with an advisory compared to 13.4% of residents. Most respondents report they would continue to visit a beach but would stay out of the water and stop harvesting seafood from the beach's waters. More than a third (36.1%), however, are unaware Georgia regularly monitors beach water for water quality, and 41.2% have never read a beach sign warning of contaminated water or seafood. Alarmingly, just over half view aesthetic factors such as no litter, no odor, and clear water as criteria for defining whether beach water is safe.