Effective risk communication is based on appropriate risk characterization. A reevaluation of the 1987 US EPA radon risk categorization of Unicoi County Tennessee was conducted using in-home radon concentrations, determined in a long-term monitoring study. Radon concentrations were measured in 69 homes using Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitors (E-PERM’s), following standard methods. Radon concentrations determined in this study (avg. 4.03 ± 3.04) were significantly higher than those measured in the USEPA study (avg. 1.96 ± 1.08). Using this study’s data, the risk categorization was recalculated with the US EPA Radon Index Matrix Model. The model re-categorized Unicoi County from a moderate to a high risk zone classification. These results suggest that the health risks associated with in-home radon concentrations are inaccurately categorized and communicated to the citizens of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
","abstract_html":"<p>Effective risk communication is based on appropriate risk characterization. A reevaluation of the 1987 US EPA radon risk categorization of Unicoi County Tennessee was conducted using in-home radon concentrations, determined in a long-term monitoring study. Radon concentrations were measured in 69 homes using Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitors (E-PERM’s), following standard methods. Radon concentrations determined in this study (avg. 4.03 ± 3.04) were significantly higher than those measured in the USEPA study (avg. 1.96 ± 1.08). Using this study’s data, the risk categorization was recalculated with the US EPA Radon Index Matrix Model. The model re-categorized Unicoi County from a moderate to a high risk zone classification. These results suggest that the health risks associated with in-home radon concentrations are inaccurately categorized and communicated to the citizens of Unicoi County, Tennessee.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Parsons, William Grant"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Environmental Health","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2003-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:21Z","subjects":["radon","E-PERM","USEPA","matrix model","Environmental Health and Protection","Environmental Monitoring","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/805","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Parsons, William Grant"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2003-08-01T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Environmental Health"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["radon","E-PERM","USEPA","matrix model","Environmental Health and Protection","Environmental Monitoring","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1962/viewcontent/ParsonW08062003.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/805"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Effective risk communication is based on appropriate risk characterization. A reevaluation of the 1987 US EPA radon risk categorization of Unicoi County Tennessee was conducted using in-home radon concentrations, determined in a long-term monitoring study. Radon concentrations were measured in 69 homes using Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitors (E-PERM’s), following standard methods. Radon concentrations determined in this study (avg. 4.03 ± 3.04) were significantly higher than those measured in the USEPA study (avg. 1.96 ± 1.08). Using this study’s data, the risk categorization was recalculated with the US EPA Radon Index Matrix Model. The model re-categorized Unicoi County from a moderate to a high risk zone classification. These results suggest that the health risks associated with in-home radon concentrations are inaccurately categorized and communicated to the citizens of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Re-Evaluation of the US EPA Radon Risk Categorization for Unicoi County, Tennessee."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Parsons, William Grant"],"dc:date.available":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2003-08-01T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Effective risk communication is based on appropriate risk characterization. A reevaluation of the 1987 US EPA radon risk categorization of Unicoi County Tennessee was conducted using in-home radon concentrations, determined in a long-term monitoring study. Radon concentrations were measured in 69 homes using Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitors (E-PERM’s), following standard methods. Radon concentrations determined in this study (avg. 4.03 ± 3.04) were significantly higher than those measured in the USEPA study (avg. 1.96 ± 1.08). Using this study’s data, the risk categorization was recalculated with the US EPA Radon Index Matrix Model. The model re-categorized Unicoi County from a moderate to a high risk zone classification. These results suggest that the health risks associated with in-home radon concentrations are inaccurately categorized and communicated to the citizens of Unicoi County, Tennessee.
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