TABLE 1.
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Level Interventions for the Public Health Nurse to use in Radon Care Planning with Clients
| Primary Prevention: Education and prevention activities |
| Learn what it means to live in a county designated “Zone 1 for Radon.” |
| Discuss the health consequences of radon exposure. |
| Party! Give radon test kits for baby showers and housewarming gifts. |
| Zone 1? Move Up! Avoid basement and first-story apartments if you can. |
| Secondary Prevention: Screening for and early detection of radon exposure. |
| If you rent your home, talk with your landlord or property manager about measuring indoor radon gas levels. |
| Test your home for radon or have it tested by a radon professional every 2 years. |
| Ask to see results of radon measurements for your children’s schools and day-care facilities. |
| Tertiary Prevention: If you have a radon concentration greater than 4 pCi/L |
| One more reason to quit! Smoking cigarettes indoors or inhaling second-hand smoke makes indoor radon even more dangerous. |
| Take it higher—radon concentrations are higher in lower levels of the home. Move kids’ bedrooms and play areas out of the basement. |
| Weigh the risks and rewards of having home-gym equipment in a high-radon basement. |
| If you have high radon and cannot afford to mitigate right away, make a savings goal—your lungs are worth it! |
| Clean your air. Place a surgical mask over a desktop fan or upgrade your furnace filter. |
| Meet MERV—HEPA’s little brother. MERV filters sizes 10+ remove bacteria, lead dust, and attached radon particles. |
| If you rent your home or heat using wood consider purchasing a portable air cleaner. You do not want your lungs to be the only filters in the house. |
| Open the doors and windows when the weather allows. The average radon concentration outdoors is very low. |
| Let your furnace do the dusting for you! Replace 1″ filters every month and 4″ filters every year. |
| Supersize it! Make your next furnace one with a 4″ media tray. |
| Find out if your furnace has an electronic motor with a low-speed setting. Using the fan full time can provide your family with clean, well-circulated air. |
| Consider spending less time indoors—Americans spend about 90% of their time inside. |
| Increase ventilation under the house by opening foundation vents. |
| Decrease indoor radon by sealing cracks and openings in the basement or foundation. |
| Decrease radon by placing a plastic membrane over bare soil under the home. |
| Consider Doing-it-Yourself—Books and YouTube Videos are available. |