Radon Exposure Prevention

Radon Exposure Prevention:

Radon exposure is a serious issue which is often overlooked and unknown to the general public. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible for 21,000 excess deaths due to lung caner. Radon originates from decaying Uranium, which is often found in the soil of agricultural areas. The radon within the soil can seep upwards, getting into water supplies, which in turn leads radon into commercial and residential areas, such as homes. Many of us are exposed to radon through the use of showers and drinking tap water. If more people were educated about their personal risk of exposure to radon, and methods which could help reduce their risk of exposure, it may help reduce the incidence of radon related mortality and morbidity. 

Understanding risk of exposure can go a long way in reducing the morbidity and mortality of certain substances which adversely affect the health of humans. For instance, after it was determined that tobacco smoke inhalation was correlated to high incidences of lung cancer, the use of tobacco has dramatically decreased over time. Consequently, the incidence of tobacco related mortality and morbidity has decreased as well. In the same way, one can argue that educating the public on radon, their risk of exposure to radon, and how to prevent or lower their risk of exposure to radon, can help alleviate the incidence of radon related mortality and morbidity. 

Therefore, the creation of a national awareness campaign may be the first step in the prevention of radon exposure. To increase awareness to the general public, multiple sources of media should be used, in order to maximize the exposure of the information to the general public. This media can be in the form of T.V., radio, internet, and billboard advertisements. Short, yet effective messages can be displayed, with an associated source of more information. For instance, a billboard stating "Did you know that you are drinking radioactive water in your home? Learn more at (insert webpage here.com)," could be effective in leading people to the information that they need to reduce their risk of exposure to radon. 

Additionally, the risk of exposure to radon can be regulated. For instance, homes or businesses which have been found to have increased levels of radon, may need to be required to take measures to reduce radon levels. For instance, many home-owners who find that their water supply has unsafe levels of radon often have the foundations of their homes drained of any moisture of water, in the hopes that the radon levels will be decreased. Such measures may be beneficial if they were required, when radon levels are found to be at unsafe levels. 

Stakeholders in such efforts would include a wide-variety. For instance, home-owners associations, and real-estate agencies could be potential stakeholders, who would have a vested interest in radon levels within homes. Agricultural organizations, and food producers would also have a vested interest in radon level, as many farms have high levels of radon. Hospitals and community health organizations would also be potential stakeholders, who would be concerned about spreading awareness about radon exposure and prevention.