ABSTRACT
Assessing label effectiveness requires knowing how consumers currently use a product, what strategies for risk mitigation are most effective, and how label reading, comprehension, and compliance relate to mitigatory behavior. We offer an integrative approach for determining the information content of warnings. It begins with a product risk assessment. Structured, open-ended interviews with consumers then identify gaps in knowledge, whose criticality is determined by the risk assessment. The approach is applied to reducing risk from methylene chloride paint strippers. Consumer interviews indicate prevalent mitigation behaviors, while a quantitative exposure model identifies which actions are most effective in reducing risk. Labels are then evaluated for content and presentation, using the model to estimate exposure to methylene chloride. The results are used to develop recommendations for improving the effectiveness of paint-stripper labels.
