Social factors and behavioural reactions to radon test outcomes underlie differences in radiation exposure dose, independent of household radon level.

ABSTRACT: Radioactive radon gas inhalation causes lung cancer, and public health strategies have responded by promoting testing and exposure reduction by individuals. However, a better understanding of how radon exposure disparities are driven by psychological and social variables is required. Here, we explored how behavioural factors modified residential radon-related radiation doses incurred by 2390 people who performed a radon test. The average time from first awareness to receiving a radon test outcome was 6.8-25.5 months, depending on behaviour and attitudes. 20.5% displayed radon test urgency that reduced irradiation between awareness and outcome to 1.8 mSv from a typical 3.5 mSv, while 14.8% (more likely to be men) displayed delaying behaviours that increased exposure to 8.0 mSv. Of those wit

SUBMITTER: Irvine JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9473468 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature