Re: RADSAFE digest 3003

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

On Fri, 10 Mar 2000 Holloway3@aol.com wrote:

> 
> There may be many factors involved but I am not sure these are the ones. I 
> would not think it safe to assume that there is a higher percentage of 
> smokers in urban industrialized areas than in rural areas and that indoor 
> radon levels are lower in urban areas. 

	--My study of tens of thousands of homes throughout the nation
(Health Physics 60:631-642;1991) found that the ratio of radon levels in
urban/suburban/rural homes was 0.98/1.00/1.28 for measurements in living
areas, and 1.02/1.00/1.45 for measurements in basements.
	A regression analysis of male lung cancer rates in U.S. counties
vs percent of population living in urban areas (as defined by Census
Bureau) indicate a 25% higher lung cancer rate in urban areas than in
rural areas. This might be interpreted as a proportionately higher
prevalence of smoking in urban areas.

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