While radon has long been a noted cause of lung cancer, NIEHS-funded researchers are looking at associations with other health effects. Research published in 2024 found exposure to higher levels of indoor radon is also associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in middle-age to older women.
Air pollution is a familiar environmental health hazard. We know what we’re looking at when brown haze settles over a city, exhaust billows across a busy highway, or a plume rises from a smokestack. Some air pollution is not seen, but its pungent smell alerts you.
It is a major threat to global health and prosperity. Air pollution, in all forms, is responsible for more than 6.5 million deaths each year globally, a number that has increased over the past two decades.
Environmental health researchers study how indoor air quality affects human health and well-being. Studies suggest that indoor concentrations of air pollutants are increasing, driven by factors such as the types of chemicals in home products, inadequate ventilation, hotter temperatures, and higher humidity.