Short Communication: Radon testing via a state tobacco quitline

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Public Health
• Cancer Prevention

Background:

• Home radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer, significantly increasing risks for smokers.
• State tobacco quitlines are well-positioned to educate smokers about radon risks but currently do not offer this service.
• North Dakota has some of the highest radon levels in the U.S., necessitating targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of integrating free radon test kit distribution into the North Dakota (ND) tobacco quitline services.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of quitlines in reaching smokers with radon information and testing opportunities.

Main Methods:

• Five hundred consecutive callers to the ND Quits Tobacco quitline were invited to participate.
• Participants completed a brief radon questionnaire and received a free radon test kit.
• Radon tests were bar-coded to track return rates and measure radon levels.

Main Results:

• 51% of invited callers completed the questionnaire, and 75 radon test kits were returned.
• Over one-third of returned tests indicated radon levels at or above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L.
• Only 20% of participants were aware that radon causes lung cancer.

Conclusions:

• Smokers in North Dakota demonstrate a significant lack of knowledge regarding radon-induced lung cancer risk.
• Distributing radon tests through tobacco quitlines is a feasible strategy to increase radon awareness and testing among smokers.
• This approach could be a valuable addition to quitline services, especially in high-radon states, to mitigate lung cancer risk.