nntpp-announce Messages: Lists

The National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care are proud to announce that the Tobacco Cessation for Correctional Populations, A Health Education Manual is now available. This is one of the few tobacco education/cessation resources specifically developed for use in correctional facilities. The Guide was developed with the assistance of national organizations, tobacco control experts, organizations serving incarcerated individuals and ex-offenders, and the administrative and health staff of prisons, jails and juvenile facilities nationwide.

The Guide contains two curriculum modules: Module One is designed to educate individuals on the health effects of tobacco use; Module Two is a guide for quitting. The curriculum also contains instructions for facilitators, reproducible handouts and a resource section to obtain additional information and materials.

The Guide is available for $125.00 which includes the manual, CD ROM, colored overhead transparencies, and shipping. It can also be purchased for $75.00 without the transparencies. For more information, please call the Health Education Council/NNTPP at (888) 442-2836 or you may email kbrown@healthedcouncil.org to request an order form.

2) Smokeless Tobacco May Raise Heart Rate

Hemodynamic and Autonomic Effects of Smokeless Tobacco in Healthy Young Men

Wolk R, Shamsuzzaman AS, Svatikova A, Huyber CM, Huck C, Narkiewicz K, Somers VK.

J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005 Mar 15;45(6):910-4.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute hemodynamic and autonomic effects of smokeless tobacco.

BACKGROUND: Smokeless tobacco use is increasing. Its cardiovascular effects are not well understood.

METHODS: Sixteen healthy, male, habitual snuff tobacco users (aged 22 +/- 1 year) were studied, using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design with two separate experimental sessions: placebo and tobacco. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), electrocardiogram, blood pressure, calf blood flow, nicotine, and catecholamines were measured.

RESULTS: Snuff tobacco increased plasma nicotine from 2.8 +/- 0.5 ng/ml to 10.4 +/- 1.1 ng/ml. Mean blood pressure increased by 10 +/- 1 mm Hg, and heart rate increased by 16 +/- 2 beats/min. Peripheral vascular resistance, MSNA, and norepinephrine concentration did not change with tobacco, but epinephrine increased by approximately 50%.

CONCLUSIONS: Oral snuff tobacco increases heart rate, blood pressure, and epinephrine. Despite the increase in blood pressure, there is no decrease in either MSNA or peripheral vascular resistance. Smokeless tobacco is a powerful autonomic and hemodynamic stimulus. Catecholamine release from the adrenal medulla likely contributes to this response.

NNTPP Notes: Smokeless tobacco use in the United States is higher among people who are employed in blue collar occupations, service/laborer jobs, and/or who are unemployed. The State of Montana ranks within the top three states in the country with the highest smokeless tobacco use rate and now ranks among the country’s poorest states and is experiencing high unemployment and a lack of industry jobs.

3) Anti-Smoking Socialization Beliefs among Rural Native American and White Parents of Young Children

Michelle C. Kegler and Lorraine Halinka Malcoe

Health Education Research 2005 20(2):175-184; doi:10.1093/her/cyg107

This study assesses similarities and differences in anti-smokingsocialization beliefs of White and Native American parents ina low-income, rural population in northeastern Oklahoma. Dataare from a population-based, cross-sectional children's environmentalhealth study in which in-home interviews were conducted with356 parents (56.2% White, 43.8% Native American), primarilymothers, of young children. Approximately 65% of the participantshad a high school education or less and over 50% smoked. TheNative American participants represented numerous tribes anddid not live on reservations. Multivariate logistic regressionmodels were used to examine associations between race/ethnicity,education, smoking status and six anti-smoking socializationbeliefs. Results showed that White and Native American parentsin this study were very similar in their anti-smoking socializationbeliefs, with the one exception that Native American parentswere less likely to believe that schools are better than parentsin teaching children about the dangers of cigarette smoking.Parental education was significantly associated with the beliefsthat all children will try smoking and that forbidding childrento smoke will only make them want to smoke more, with less-educatedparents more likely to share these beliefs. Findings suggestthat interventions to promote anti-smoking socialization beliefsamong parents with high school education or less may be importantin low-income, rural communities with high smoking rates.

4) Poor Lose Out in Campaign to Combat Health Disease

Sarah Boseley, health editor

3/7/05
The Guardian

The National Health Service (NHS) must do more to address heart disease in the poorest communities, where high levels of smoking and obesity mean people are at the greatest risk of dying from it, the Healthcare Commission says today.

A study of NHS heart services finds that much has been achieved five years on from the government's launch of a national service framework, which outlined improvements due to come into effect by 2010.

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Patients who have a heart attack are being treated more quickly than before, with 85% receiving life-saving clot-busting drugs within 30 minutes of reaching hospital or within an hour of the first call for help, compared with 59% two years ago.

Many centers have set up rapid-access chest pain clinics where people with suspected angina - a risk factor for a heart attack - can be assessed and get treatment quickly. Increasing numbers of people are offered a coronary artery bypass graft or widening of the arteries to get the blood flowing again and prevent damage to the heart.

The extra funding that has gone into the health service, the modernization initiatives and the introduction of waiting times targets have contributed to these improvements, the commission says. But there is some way to go, especially in preventing heart disease and in the treatment of patients with heart failure and on rehabilitation of heart patients, it says.

Risk factors for heart disease such as obesity and smoking are on the increase, especially in deprived communities where people are more likely to smoke and to eat a diet high in saturated fats. There has been some work on addressing this inequality, but it is patchy and there are few examples of services specifically designed to help with obesity. There is not a lot of evidence that service to help people stop smoking give the long-term support they need to stay off cigarettes. People who have had NHS care for heart problems are now better monitored, but there is less evidence that those at high risk but who have not had a heart attack or any symptoms treated are being identified. The quality of the data kept by primary care trusts was often poor. The commission says there should be targets for the number of people who had their level of risk calculated and the number offered advice or treatment. Rehabilitation services for those who have survived a heart attack or are living with heart disease must be improved. Patients should receive better information and there should be better communication between providers of healthcare and social care. Staff shortages must be addressed - a third of trusts say they do not have enough technical staff specializing in diagnosing heart disease.

"Overall, this is a good news story for the health service. There has been real and significant progress on what is unquestionably a top national priority. But none of us can afford to be satisfied until we have done everything possible to reduce the incidence of heart disease," said Anna Walker, chief executive of the commission. "We are catching up with the best of the EU countries, but there is still more to do. There remain regional variations in care, which though improving are still unacceptably high in some cases. People are still dying. More help is needed in some areas where we could do more. Nobody involved in healthcare will be satisfied until that situation is resolved."

The commission will be setting targets for the NHS and monitoring its progress.

5) Medicare Tries to Help Seniors Quit Smoking

Source: Seniorscopie, 2005-02-28

Medicare & Medicaid Services in order to help older smokers kick the habit, has extended its coverage for cessation counseling and treatments prescribed by physicians, to seniors with illnesses caused by or complicated by smoking or who take medications affected by smoking.

The policy is based on evidence indicating that kicking the habit will lead to immediate and long-term benefits, including lowered blood pressure, improved lung function and reduced risk for heart attack. Experts predict that ultimately the coverage could save as many as 95,000 years of life over a 10-year period. About 440,000 people die annually from smoking-related diseases, among them 300,000 seniors.

To view the full article please visit http://www.seniorscopie.com/actu/article.asp?id=050228230857&rub=swi

6) NNTPP – Case Studies and Focus Group Summary Now Available

The National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty announces the release of two case studies written in collaboration with two of our national Stakeholder organizations. Tobacco Policy, Cessation, and Education in Correctional Facilities Case Study highlights NNTPP’s collaboration with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and a joint survey conducted among correctional facilities across the United States to examine tobacco use policies and cessation programming. Integrating Tobacco Control into The Salvation Army’s Substance Abuse Training Curriculum Case Study focuses on NNTPP’s collaboration with The Salvation Army. It describes our efforts to integrate nicotine addiction treatment into The Salvation Army’s alcohol and substance abuse treatment programs.

In addition, NNTPP also released a summary report of our focus group data collected in collaboration with West Virginia University-Prevention Research Center titled Smoking Habits and Prevention Strategies in Low Socio-economic Status Populations. The objectives of the focus groups were to review the social and cultural nuances that support/encourage smoking in low SES populations, identify communication channels most effective in reaching this population with tobacco cessation/prevention messages, and to tailor prevention messages to reach low SES adults.

Copies of the case studies and the focus group summary may be obtained by calling the Health Education Council, toll-free at 1(888) 442-2836 or emailing nntpp@healthedcouncil.org ..

7) Announcements

2005 Grant Opportunities Notebook

The notebook is a guide to this year's federal funding opportunities for faith-based and community organizations across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Included in the notebook is information on approximately 40 grants in the following areas: Community Development, At-Risk Children and Youth, Senior, Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health programs. Also included is information on the Compassion Capital Fund, how to be a grant reviewer, how to make a Freedom of Information request, and web resources for organizations interested in federal funding.