Radon Testing Status in Schools by Radon Zone and School Location and Demographic Characteristics: United States, 2014

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive, colorless, odorless gas, and the second leading cause of lung cancer. The 1990–1991 National School Radon Survey estimated that more than 70,000 schoolrooms nationwide had “high short-term radon levels.” Using data from a nationally representative survey...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of school nursing 2019-12, Vol.35 (6), p.442-448
Main Authors: Jones, Sherry Everett, Foster, Stephanie, Berens, Andrew S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis
Air Pollution, Indoor - statistics & numerical data
Educational Environment
Elementary Secondary Education
Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data
Environmental Standards
Geographic Location
Geography
Hazardous Materials
Health
Humans
Institutional Characteristics
Minority Group Students
Racial Composition
Radon - analysis
Schools - statistics & numerical data
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomic Status
Testing
United States
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Summary:Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive, colorless, odorless gas, and the second leading cause of lung cancer. The 1990–1991 National School Radon Survey estimated that more than 70,000 schoolrooms nationwide had “high short-term radon levels.” Using data from a nationally representative survey of schools in the United States (N = 568; response rate = 69%), we examined the location and demographic characteristics of U.S. schools that had ever been tested for radon and whether having been tested varied by radon zone, which predicts average indoor radon levels in U.S. counties. Overall, 46.0% (95% confidence interval [39.8%, 52.4%]) of schools reported that they had ever been tested for radon. Testing significantly varied by region, percentage of minority students, and radon zone. These findings highlight the need for improved awareness of radon testing in schools, as testing is the only way to identify when remediation is needed.
ISSN:1059-8405
1546-8364
1546-8364
DOI:10.1177/1059840518785441