Radon is an invisible odorless gas that is emitted by decaying uranium. It is discovered to be the second leading cause for lung cancer, second to smoking tobacco. Because of its elusive properties, it is recommended that homeowners and renters get their living space tested. If considered safe, it is often recommended that you get your home tested often, as radon levels can change. If hazardous levels are detected, it is recommended that you go to epa.gov/radon to find an EPA certified radon mitigator to fix the problem.
Given the fact that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and is responsible for 21, 000 excess deaths in the USA, it is important to develop and implement a national awareness campaign. The health hazards associated with radon would need to be compiled together to ensure that the target population is aware of its impact it has on public health. The stakeholders that would be necessary to develop this campaign would be major cancer research institutions, such as the EPA, NIH National Cancer Institute, and the CDC. The campaign would best be developed in partnership with a leading children's program such as the Boys and Girls Club, or a sports industry, such as the NFL. This would bring widespread awareness to this invisible naturally occurring gas. Utilizing these types of organizations would ensure that the target population is educated of the risks of radon. In addition, general infographics will be developed and advertised at targeted locations, such as home improvement stores. Once the campaign is rolled-out, it would take community outreach and social marketing techniques to educate and disseminate the information of radon to possibly decrease the prevalence of radon related deaths in the USA.
Since radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, more needs to be done to raise awareness at the local and national levels. We need to involve parents, children, schools, home-owners, renters, home associations and the public in general in our campaign. Widespread awareness and continuing education will ensure that more people are aware of the effects of radon and will protecting themselves and their families.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of working with a leading child program. It might also be a good idea to work with the Boys and Girls club to target a different population. I agree with you, it's very important to bring awareness of this issue to our communities.
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