Contributed by Kelly Jackson
The Christian County Extension Office partnered with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing and the Pennyrile Area Development District to help more people test their homes for radon. So far, 44 residents have utilized the free test kits. This effort shows how local partnerships can tackle big health risks.
Radon is a natural gas that can’t be seen, smelled, or tasted—but it’s dangerous. It’s the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. The geology of Christian County puts residents at higher risk. Many don’t know their homes may have high radon levels. The only way to know is to test.
Christian County became the first county in Kentucky to offer free radon test kits through its Extension Office. Staff also worked to spread the word—through radio interviews, social media, and newsletters—making testing easy and accessible.
The Kentucky Radon Program plans to expand it to other county Extension offices over the next five years. Meanwhile, Hopkinsville Community College will start training students to fix homes with high radon levels.
This project is supported by the NIEHS through Grant R01ES030380. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIEHS.
Contacts:
Stacy R. Stanifer, PhD, APRN, AOCNS
Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
Radon Policy Program Director, BREATHE
CEC Co-Leader, UK-CARES
CP Member, Markey Cancer Center
509L College of Nursing Building
751 Rose Street
Lexington, KY 40536
859-323-6874
Stacy.stanifer@uky.edu
Kelly Jackson
County Extension Agent for Horticulture
University of Kentucky
Christian County Cooperative Extension
2850 Pembroke Road
Hopkinsville, KY 42240
270-886-6328
kelly.jackson@uky.edu
United States