Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To invite and support managers of child care centres to measure radon concentrations in their buildings. Their ability to carry out a measurement protocol and communication plan was also evaluated as well as the intention of parents and educators to test for radon at home.
PARTICIPANTS: Managers, parents and educators of child care centres.
SETTING: 36 child care centres located in two priority investigation areas in Québec.
INTERVENTION: A kit containing radon detectors with installation and recovery instructions was shipped by mail in addition to factsheets intended for parents and educators. Site visits and phone calls were also conducted with a sample of child care centres and participants.
OUTCOMES: The instructions related to detector installation were generally well respected. Afterward, more than half (18) of the 34 parents and educators interviewed said that they had been directly informed of this radon testing by managers or other educators, and not by the factsheet provided. This radon measurement intervention was considered very relevant by 91% of them and a quarter (26%) expressed their intention to test for radon at home, while 6% had already done so. Two child care centres (5.5%) had at least one measurement above the Canadian guideline level of 200 Bq/m3.
CONCLUSION: This intervention has demonstrated the ability of child care centre managers to carry out this type of autonomous procedure, which can be centralized to minimize costs. This type of intervention may influence parents to become more familiar with this contaminant and measure their family’s exposure at home.
Key Words: Child care centres, radon testing, Québec, perception
Résumé
OBJECTIFS : Inviter les gestionnaires de centres de la petite enfance (CPE) à mesurer les concentrations de radon dans leur bâtiment et les soutenir dans leur démarche. Leur capacité à appliquer le protocole de mesure et le plan de communication a également été évaluée de même que l’intention subséquente des parents et éducateurs de mesurer le radon à domicile.
PARTICIPANTS : Gestionnaires, parents et éducateurs de CPE. LIEU: 36 CPE situées dans deux zones d’investigation prioritaire au Québec.
INTERVENTION : Des trousses contenant des dosimètres avec des directives d’installations et de récupération ont été envoyées par la poste de même que des feuillets d’information destinés aux parents et éducateurs. Des visites de contrôle et des appels téléphoniques ont également été complétés auprès d’un échantillon de CPE et de participants.
RÉSULTATS : Les directives de maniement des dosimètres ont été généralement bien suivies. Plus de la moitié (18) des 34 parents et éducateurs interrogés ont rapporté avoir été informés de ce dépistage par les gestionnaires ou d’autres éducateurs plutôt que par le feuillet distribué à cette fin. Cette intervention a été considérée comme très pertinente par 91 % d’entre eux et 26%ont exprimé leur intention demesurer le radon à domicile alors que 6 % l’avaient déjà mesuré. Deux CPE (5,5 %) ont présenté au moins une mesure au-dessus de la ligne directrice canadienne de 200 Bq/m3.
CONCLUSION : Cette intervention a démontré l’autonomie des gestionnaires de CPE à dépister le radon dans leur installation, permettant ainsi de réduire les coûts associés. Parmi les retombées, on compte également une meilleure sensibilisation des parents à ce contaminant accompagnée du désir chez plusieurs de le mesurer à domicile.
Mots Clés: centres de la petite enfance, dépistage du radon, Québec, perception
Footnotes
Acknowledgements: The Ministry of Family, which initiated and facilitated contacts with kindergartens and the authorities of the Directions de santé publique du CISSS des Laurentides and de l’Outaouais regions for their support. This work was funded by the Province of Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (internal budget code: 7677).
Conflict of Interest: None to declare.
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