RE: Health Metaphysics

["Frame, Paul" <FrameP@orau.gov>]

For what its worth, Alvin Weinberg has referred to this area as metascience
rather than metaphysics  - an arena in which scientific questions can be
raised but never answered because of the inadequate power of the
investigative methods. Given the similarity in the arguments about the LNT
today and the arguments of the 1950s, a half century of scientific research
hasn't accomplished very much.

> Apparently, there are strange unknown forces at work that 
> cause smokers to migrate to low radon areas.
> This phenomenon, of course, accounts for the negative 
> correlation between radon levels and lung cancer.
 
Its probably safe to assume that there are higher percentages of smokers in
urban industrialized areas than in rural areas.  It is also probably the
case that indoor radon levels are lower in urban areas (even limiting
ourselves to single family dwellings) - the lower wind speeds in urban areas
should result in higher indoor static pressures than would be found in rural
homes. Hence one might predict an inverse correlation between radon levels
and the incidence of lung cancer if individual exposures and smoking habits
are unknown. I suppose we might also expect a higher level of air pollution
in urban areas as well as the increased incidence of smoking. I believe Dr.
Cohen has made efforts to correct for this type of confounding, but my point
is that we don't need to imagine "unknown forces"

Paul Frame
Professional Training Programs
ORAU
framep@orau.gov
http://www.orau.gov/ptp/ptp.htm
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