Communicating Radon Risks Effectively: The Maryland Experience

The authors address the effectiveness of two pilot programs for encouraging radon testing: a targeted mass media approach and mass media combined with a community-based implementation program. To measure the effectiveness of these radon risk communication efforts, they used a design that included three Maryland communities with high radon concentrations. Hagerstown received an integrated radon risks/testing media campaign during the winter heating season. Frederick received the same media campaign but also received a community outreach program that included presentations and posters. Randallstown served as the comparison community with no special radon risk testing information. Pre- and post-campaign telephone surveys with 500 randomly selected homeowners were conducted in each area. The post-campaign surveys included an additional independent sample of 500 homeowners in each area to test for presensitization bias. Frederick, which received both the community-based program and the media program, had a 15-percentage-point increase in attitudes favorable toward radon testing, 15-percentage-point increase in knowledge, and an 8.2-percentage-point increase in testing in comparison with Randallstown, the control community. Hagerstown, which received only the media program, had an 8-percentage-point increase in favorable attitudes. There was no detectable increase in testing in Hagerstown.