[ RadSafe ] Residential radon risk

[Kai Kaletsch]

Jerry asked: "Given the apparent negative correlation between smoking and 
radon levels, I wonder
whether it is low radon levels that cause people to smoke, or does smoking 
somehow
cause lower radon levels? "

I think it is likely that smoking causes lower radon levels, because smokers 
would open a window to let some fresh air in.

We have to remember that residential radon levels are, in part, determined 
by the residents' lifestyle. So, one could also expect that being sick 
increases radon levels. (Sick people might not lead as active lives and 
doors will stay closed.)

Since residential radon levels are related to ventilation, one would also 
expect that they correlate positively with mould and other indoor 
pollutants.

In the ecological studies, these factors probably largely cancel out and the 
average county radon levels are more related to the radon source term. Case 
control studies would be very susceptible to the influence of these other 
factors, unless these are specifically controlled.

Kai