Understanding PM2.5 Risk Perception in Urban Thailand: Associations with Influencing Factors

Long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) primarily affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, resulting in millions of premature deaths per year. However, the influence of PM2.5 risk perception on health decisions and preventive behaviors remains a research gap. Thus, this study examined such risk perception and associated influencing factors in urban Thailand. For this purpose, a cross-sectional survey of 921 participants was conducted in urban Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand, by using a 13-item scale to measure PM2.5 risk perception and binary logistic regression to test the influencing factors. Based on the findings, the majority of the respondents agreed on their susceptibility to and the severity of PM2.5, while the influencing factors showed that in urban Chiang Mai, females with higher education and income, who obtained information from various news channels, were more likely influenced by their PM2.5 risk perceptions. Regarding their PM2.5 preventive behaviors, the respondents reported staying indoors, limiting outdoor activities, using air purifiers, and wearing N95 masks. The implication of the findings is that more education and information campaigns should be implemented to drive policies, raise awareness, and eliminate PM2.5-specific dust pollution sources.