Environmental health mental models and socioeconomic context as predictors of indoor radon testing for rural, low-income families

This descriptive study examined whether expanded sociodemographic factors and mental model constructs predict home radon testing behavior and pre‑testing awareness among rural, low‑income families with children in Montana. Participants were recipients of public health services with household incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level. Questionnaire data indicated that 90% of participants had never tested their homes for radon, and risk‑reduction behaviors did not differ by household status. A model incorporating five sociodemographic and three mental model variables significantly predicted awareness of radon health effects among untested households. Years of education and radon knowledge score were retained in the final model. Findings support the usefulness of a 19‑item radon knowledge instrument for distinguishing levels of pre‑testing awareness, though external validity is limited by geographic isolation and non‑probabilistic sampling.