Chemical (VX) terrorist threat: public knowledge, attitudes, and responses.

This article reports the results of a study of people's perceptions and reactions to a hypothetical terrorist attack involving a chemical agent (specifically, the nerve agent VX). Thirteen focus groups composed of 8 to 12 participants each were conducted using trained moderators. To achieve a broad representation of perspectives, the groups were conducted in several regions and included urban and rural locations. In addition, a variety of population groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Asians, and people with English as a second language, were included in the study. Findings demonstrated fear, fatalism, and unfulfilled information needs related to the threat agent. To better prepare the public for VX threats or threats from other highly toxic chemical agents, it will be important to emphasize that VX exposure can be avoided or reduced, that VX effects can be treated, and that VX can be survived if appropriate protective measures are taken. Related findings from the focus groups are that participants preferred television, radio, and the Emergency Alert System for emergency messages and that people prefer to hear information about a chemical attack from a well-known, well-respected public figure or from a content expert on chemical attacks, protective actions, and health. In addition, local television meteorologists were identified as a category of trusted conveyers of important information in relation to chemical terrorist attacks.

Cultural construction of disease: a "supernormal" construct of dementia in an American Indian tribe.

The cultural construction of disease model is used to analyze an unusual case of dementia in an American Indian family. Dementia is predicted to increase in American Indians due to recent increases in longevity. Longevity allows for more people to live into the ages of greatest risk for dementing diseases, like Alzheimer's disease and the vascular dementias. The dynamics of longevity, consequent increased risk for dementia, and the construction of meaning for dementia are postulated as a natural laboratory for observing the process of meaning evolution for dysfunctions producing perceptible symptoms, particularly ones that involve cognitive and behavioral aberrations. Dementias are medically considered pathological, but in popular folk terms often considered a normal outcome of aging. In this case, however, a non-pathological etiologic attribution is found and designated "supernormal" because the symptoms are interpreted as normal but special since the symptoms represent communications with the supernatural world.