Coalition building and citizen science for radon risk reduction

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Community Engagement
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Radon exposure in homes is a significant public health concern, particularly in rural areas.
• Community-led initiatives are crucial for disseminating health information and promoting protective behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Reach-Effectiveness-Adoption-Implementation-Maintenance (RE-AIM) of four radon coalitions in rural communities.
• To compare RE-AIM factors between citizen scientists involved in coalitions and those not involved.

Main Methods:

• Employed a community-engaged research project embedding coalition building using a citizen science approach.
• Utilized mixed methods to evaluate coalition-building efforts through the RE-AIM framework.
• Assessed coalition reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance.

Main Results:

• Coalitions primarily reached local health departments, hospitals, and schools, who offered support but few resources.
• Citizen scientists involved in coalitions showed greater experience in disseminating radon information and public education.
• 82% of participants with high radon levels in a library loan program were likely to hire a mitigation professional, indicating increased demand.

Conclusions:

• Multi-issue health coalitions engaging citizen scientists and public libraries can enhance radon testing and mitigation demand in rural settings.
• Citizen scientist involvement in coalitions correlates with increased dissemination of scientific information on radon.
• Public libraries serve as effective partners in community-based environmental health initiatives.