Exploring the relationship between social deprivation and domestic radon levels in the East Midlands, UK

Robin G.M. Crockett,Christopher J. Groves-Kirkby,Gavin K. Gillmore,Antony R. Denman,Paul S. Phillips

doi:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.01.010

Robin G.M. Crockett, Christopher J. Groves-Kirkby + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.01.010

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Abstract

The natural radioactive gas radon is widely present in the built environment and at high concentrations is associated with enhanced risk of lung-cancer. This risk is significantly enhanced for habitual smokers. Although populations with higher degrees of social deprivation are frequently exposed to higher levels of many health-impacting pollutants, a recent study suggests that social deprivation in the UK is associated with lower radon concentrations.The analysis reported here, based on published data on social deprivation and domestic radon in urban and rural settings in the English East Midlands, identifies a weak association between increasing deprivation and lower radon areas. This is attributed to the evolution of the major urban centres on low-permeability, clay-rich alluvial soils of low radon potential. In addition, the predominance of high-rise dwellings in towns and cities will further reduce average exposure to radon in populations in those areas.

Highlights

Tobacco smoking, the primary cause of a range of diseases responsible for preventable morbidity and premature mortality, accounted for 79,100 deaths in England in 2015, with more than a third (28,560) of these deaths attributed to lung cancer (Department of Health, 2017)
Studies have demonstrated the influence of numerous factors, including house type, building materials, foundations, ventilation and draught-exclusion, on domestic radon levels (Gunby et al, 1993; Demoury et al, 2013), leading to the development of a model suggesting that 25% of the total variation in indoor radon in England and Wales can be explained by bedrock and superficial geology (Appleton and Miles, 2010)
Three major areas of high radon potential can be identified in the study area, all associated with the Jurassic escarpment that runs diagonally across Northamptonshire from south-west to north-east

Summary

Introduction

The primary cause of a range of diseases responsible for preventable morbidity and premature mortality, accounted for 79,100 deaths in England in 2015, with more than a third (28,560) of these deaths attributed to lung cancer (Department of Health, 2017). In England, lung cancer contributes 0.93 years (10%) of the life-expectancy inequality gap between the most and least deprived deciles (NHS, 2019). Tobacco smoking remains the most significant risk factor for lung-cancer, being implicated in 86% of all lungcancer deaths, environmental radon gas has been identified as posing the second-most significant risk. Case-control studies confirm increased lung-cancer prevalence in populations with raised radon levels in their homes (AGIR, 2009), with the risks from radon and smoking considered to be multiplicative (Gray et al, 2009). Studies have demonstrated the influence of numerous factors, including house type, building materials, foundations, ventilation and draught-exclusion, on domestic radon levels (Gunby et al, 1993; Demoury et al, 2013), leading to the development of a model suggesting that 25% of the total variation in indoor radon in England and Wales can be explained by bedrock and superficial geology (Appleton and Miles, 2010)

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