Section Snippets: INTRODUCTION
Lung cancer is more common among Native American communities, 1, 2 with an incidence of 94.8 / 100,000, compared to 55.4 among White individuals in Wisconsin. 1 Higher radon exposure in Native communities may contribute to the increased incidence of lung cancer. Radon is an odorless, colorless noble gas released from uranium decay in soil. 3, 4, 5 It is the second leading cause of lung cancer and has a synergistic multiplicative carcinogen effect with tobacco smoke. 5, 6
Radon exposure varies METHODS
This project was co-developed with the UWCCC’ s COE team and members of the Stockbridge- Munsee Nation community and health center and adheres to the SQUIRE 2.0 Guidelines. 12 IRB approval was not required because the project did not constitute research under 45 CFR46.102( d). The objectives were to educate health center staff and community members about radon exposure and its risks, conduct radon testing in all homes on the reservation, and implement mitigation efforts for homes with elevated
RESULTS
This project was conducted from April 2023 to September 2024. A total of 83 radon test kits were returned( 100 % return rate). All the reservation homes inhabited by Tribal members were tested( 100 % participation rate). Of those, 56( 67.5 %) tested above the EPA-recommended radon exposure limit. The mean radon concentration was 12.3 pCi / L, whereas the median was 6.3 pCi / L and the values ranged from 0.4 to 111.6 pCi / L( Table 1). Among the homes with elevated radon levels, the mean concentration
DISCUSSION
Radon levels in the Native lands were significantly higher than expected, which may contribute to the elevated incidence of lung cancer. Notably, the Stockbridge-Munsee community area is in Shawano County, Wisconsin, an area classified by EPA as high risk for elevated indoor radon levels. 4 This EPA classification can help guide healthcare institutions in planning interventions to address radon exposure in their service area. 4
Previous research assessed residential radon levels among Native CONCLUSIONS
Identifying and mitigating high radon levels in Native communities underscores the critical role of National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in addressing socioeconomic determinants of health, including housing quality and environmental exposures. Expanding radon testing and mitigation efforts in Tribal communities is vital for reducing health disparities and improving outcomes.