Abstract
Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer, yet few Americans test their homes for radon, particularly in rural areas. The academic team and community partners engaged the public library systems in four rural counties to offer digital radon detectors for check-out as a means of increasing the public’s access to free radon testing. The check-out procedures and instructional materials were created through an iterative process, and library personnel were educated on radon and home radon testing prior to launching the lending program. Library patrons reported high usability, feasibility, and acceptability of the program. Library patron- staff interactions mainly included discussions about the logistics of radon testing. Given that public libraries are invested in making communities thrive and promoting health, providing library lending programs for radon detectors is a novel, feasible, and acceptable way to reduce the risk of lung cancer in the community.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-2024
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2024.101283
Funding Information
This project is supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) through Grant R01 ES030380 and supported in part by Grant P30 ES026529. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIEHS.
Repository Citation
Stanifer, Stacy; Rademacher, Kathy; Beckett, Whitney; Simpson, King; Rayens, Mary Kay; Thaxton Wigging, Amanda; and Hahn, Ellen J., "Public library lending programs increase radon testing in rural communities" (2024). UK CARES Faculty Publications. 29.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ukcares_facpub/29
Notes/Citation Information
0740-8188/© 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.