Zeitschrift für Gemeinde- und öffentliche Gesundheitspflege

Abstrakt

Building a Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program at a Community Health System

Joanne H Ebner, Catherine Brady-Copertino and Barry Meisenberg

Strategies to discourage tobacco use on many fronts from taxation to hard-hitting awareness campaigns have made an impact on reducing tobacco use and promoting tobacco avoidance. In order to further advance tobacco control efforts, future efforts require expanded awareness campaigns; additional training for health professions in tobacco treatment; continued policy shifts; and further integration of tobacco treatment at all health care visits. Anne Arundel Health System’s Cancer Prevention/Nicotine Dependence Program is using several evidence-based tobacco control strategies to eliminate one of the most potent causes of death and disease. These broad efforts have been designed to engage wherever the health system can interact with the public: inpatients, outpatients, community health clinics, public housing, public schools, health system employee policy and public health policy at the state level. Community Cancer Centers can and should play a leading role in anti-tobacco efforts. Incorporating several elements of tobacco control within our organization and in the community allows us to further advance tobacco control efforts and enhance the health of the people we serve.