Predicting Homeowners' Mitigation Responses to Radon Test Data

Radon gas can accumulate indoors to levels that present a serious lung cancer risk. Six data sets were examined to discover what homeowners do to cope with this hazard after they have tested for radon. The best predictors of mitigation intentions proved to be global appraisals of threat plus the radon levels themselves. Translating these intentions into action, however, seemed to reflect situational obstacles rather than beliefs about radon risk, beliefs about radon mitigation, or demographic variables. Survey respondents had difficulty understanding the amount of risk posed by radon in their homes, and it appears that the observed correspondence between radon levels and mitigation responses was due almost entirely to the existence of a government‐established action guideline.