A reply from SMARTRISK

John H. Lewko

Risk is an everyday reality of life1 and there is a general understanding that youth risk behaviours are an integral part of development.2^,3 Hence the need to understand risks and how to manage them.4 From the tone, academic content and examples used by Barry Pless in his commentary,5 a reader might conclude that he believes we should stop taking risks instead of learning to become better risk managers.

Prevention efforts could be informed by furthering our understanding of the complexity of risk behaviour. A challenge faced by health promotion personnel in general is to make young people aware of the possibility of the various dangers in their lives, particularly when these dangers are part of normal life experiences.6 Research has demonstrated that people in general are poor estimators of personal risk7 and tend to rely on heuristics to deal with everyday life experiences.8 Adolescents are also subject to these limitations, with the added challenge of having to cope with multiple developmental forces.9^,10

Pless' commentary could have opened a critical debate on a key policy area, that of risk and its management, and focused it on injury prevention. Two recent publications underscore the importance of the risk-management policy debate.11^,12 Through various initiatives, including its Research Advisory Committee, SMARTRISK is working to advance this area with respect to injury prevention.

John H. Lewko Director Centre for Research in Human Development Laurentian University Sudbury, Ont. Chair Research Advisory Committee SMARTRISK Toronto, Ont.

References

1.↵
Bernstein PL. Against the gods: the remarkable story of risk. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1998.
2.↵
Jessor R, editor. New perspectives in adolescent risk behavior. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1998.
3.↵
Moore S, Parsons J. A research agenda for adolescent risk-taking: Where do we go from here? J Adolesc 2000;23:317-76.
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4.↵
Reinhardt FL. Down to earth: applying business principles to environmental management. Boston: Harvard Business School Press; 2000.
5.↵
Pless B. Taking risks with injury prevention [editorial]. CMAJ 2002;167(7):767-8.
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6.↵
Schulenberg J, Maggs JL, K Hurrelmann K, (editors). Health risks and developmental transistions during adolescence. New York: Cambridge University Press; 1997.
7.↵
Slovic P. Perceptions of risk. In: Krimsky S, Golding D, editors. Theories of risk. New York: Praeger; 1992.
8.↵
Kahneman D, Slovic P, Tversky A, editors. Judgment under uncertainty: heuristics and biases. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1982.
9.↵
Arnet J. Reckless behavior in adolescence: a developmental perspective. Dev Rev 1992;12:339-73.
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10.↵
Beyth-Marom R, Fischoff B. Adolescents' decisions about risk: a cognitive perspective. In: Schulenberg J, Maggs JL, K Hurrelmann K, (editors). Health risks and developmental transistions during adolescence. New York: Cambridge University Press; 1997.
11.↵
Moss DA. When all else fails: government as the ultimate risk manager. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press; 2002.
12.↵
Sunstein CR. Risk and reason: safety, law and the environment. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2002.