Don’t Swim in the Soup: A Survey of Utah Recreator Perceptions on Harmful Algae

Recreator knowledge of and confidence in identifying harmful algal blooms (HABs) are essential for protecting public health and shaping risk perception of people who use water bodies for recreational purposes. Our research used a structured, closed-ended questionnaire to gather information on Utah recreator perceptions of HABs ( N = 200). Our results indicate that the majority (86%) of Utah recreators are familiar with HABs and most (61%) are at least moderately concerned about HABs. Participants had a 62% accuracy in identifying harmful water conditions for themselves and a 63% accuracy in identifying harmful water conditions for their dog. Respondents learned about HABs from news reports (75%) and/or seeing signs at a body of water (54%). Recreators who are non-White reported being less familiar with HABs, indicating that this group might be at elevated risk of HAB exposure. Our work identifies baseline Utah recreator HAB literacy and provides recommendations for channels to use and audiences who might benefit from HAB educational campaigns.