homes tested were above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's action level of 4 pCi/L per liter.
"That was surprising. This isn't really a new public health issue.
I thought we'd find some elevated homes, but I was shocked that four out of five were above the EPA level," Levy said.
Researchers are preparing to publish results of the study, performed in 2013. They continue to receive test results from participants and give talks to those who request radon information.
In Iowa, an estimated 400 lung cancer deaths are caused by radon, a colorless gas that occurs naturally from radioactive decay of uranium. The gas can enter homes through cracks, around pipes or between the floor and wall joists in basements. When inhaled, it can damage lung tissue.
The U.S. surgeon general, EPA and American Lung Association recommend that all homes be tested for radon. Inexpensive test kits can be purchased at hardware stores. According to the EPA, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer and the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers.
Iowa has the highest average indoor radon concentrations in the nation – 8.5 pCi/L, or six times the national average. Experts say glaciers deposited rocks that were broken into such small pieces that it allowed for a large rock surface area for radon to be produced. An estimated 7 in 10 Iowa homes have levels higher than the EPA action level.
he first time Dr. Cynthia Wolff heard about radon was at the Iowa Cancer Summit more than two years ago. Shocked that she as a physician didn't know the gas can cause lung cancer and is found in high levels throughout Iowa, she felt a responsibility to share the information with her patients in Akron.
"I knew nothing about this and felt bad. Why didn't I know about this?" said Wolff, a family physician at the Akron/Mercy Medical Clinic.
She quickly formed a partnership with Dr. Barcey Levy, professor of family medicine and epidemiology at the University of Iowa and director of the Iowa Research Network. Levy was also at the summit and had mentioned radon in one of her presentations on risk factors in the environment.
Together, they conducted a study in the community of about 1,400 people in northwest Iowa. The results showed that 82 percent of homes tested were above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's action level of 4 picocuries per liter.
"That was surprising. This isn't really a new public health issue. I thought we'd find some elevated homes, but I was shocked that four out of five were above the EPA level," Levy said.
Researchers are preparing to publish results of the study, performed in 2013. They continue to receive test results from participants and give talks to those who request radon information.
T
"... We just wanted to get the word out. These are my patients, these are my friends, they need to know ..."
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