Occupancy factor model for exposure to atmospheric radiation in urban and rural dwellers in Nigeria

Abstract

A mathematical representation, which has been developed, to calculate the average time spent for indoors and outdoors activities by urban and rural dwellers is described. Questionnaire was developed and administered to people residing at Lagos State and Benin City representing urban dwellers, and some villages in Edo State representing rural dwellers. The independent variables of the mathematical representation were extracted from the information gathered through the questionnaire. Average city dwellers spent 20.33 % of the total time per day exposed to atmospheric radiation while an average rural dweller spent 26.88 % of the time per day exposed to atmospheric radiation. Also, the time spent by average city dweller for outdoor activities is between 2.391 and 7.369 hrs, while the time spent by an average rural dweller for outdoor activities is between 3.99 and 8.91 hrs. This implies that rural dwellers are more exposed to atmospheric radiation than city dwellers.

International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 2 (4) 2006: pp. 305-309