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ACA Not a Panacea for Prevention

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:05:00 GMT

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids released a study this week confirming that gaps exist in tobacco cessation coverage provided by many insurance companies and many consumers lack full access to tobacco cessation therapies as required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The ACA requires that insurers and employers cover all A and B grade preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF recommends clinicians ask all adult patients about their tobacco use and provide behavioral counseling and pharmacotherapy to those that use tobacco. The USPSTF’s tobacco cessation recommendation received an A grade, indicating there is high certainty of a substantial benefit from delivering the service, and is therefore required to be covered with no cost-sharing.

Researchers at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute analyzed thirty-nine insurance contracts across six states for their compliance with the ACA. Significant variation was found in how tobacco cessation was covered in those contracts. The research found that:

• Tobacco cessation did not appear to be covered at all in some contracts.
• Other contracts contained conflicting provisions that made it difficult to determine tobacco cessation treatment was covered or the scope of the benefit.
• Some contracts were unclear on the terms of cost-sharing or were ambiguous about potential restrictions to accessing covered treatment.
• Many contracts did not cover pharmacotherapy (either prescription or over-the-counter).
• None of the 39 analyzed contracts (1) clearly stated that tobacco cessation treatment was covered, (2) provided coverage for individual, group, and phone counseling and FDA-approved cessation medication, (3) provided treatment by in-network providers with no-cost sharing, and (4) provided access to treatment with prerequisites (e.g., medical necessity or a health risk assessment).
• Only four (of 39) contracts covered individual, group, and phone counseling, and both prescription and over-the-counter medications.

In short, the report questions whether effective tobacco cessation services are actually available to consumers as required by the ACA. The confusing and ambiguous language contained in many insurance contracts makes it difficult for consumers to know what is covered, how to access treatment, and whether there is cost-sharing.

Insurance coverage of tobacco cessation treatment is crucial to reducing prevalence of tobacco use in the U.S. Evidence-based studies, such as The Return on Investment of a Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Program in Massachusetts (funded by Partnership for Prevention) and referenced in the Georgetown report, conclude that tobacco cessation services not only saves lives but are also cost effective. Every $1 invested in the Massachusetts Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Program led to average savings of $3.12 in cardiovascular-related hospitalization expenditures. Thus, a net return on investment of $2.12 was realized and on average these savings were recouped within slightly more than a year after the benefits were used.

To combat tobacco use in our nation we must uphold the ACA’s preventive services coverage requirements in a manner that is accessible and affordable to tobacco users. This will save lives and millions of dollars in tobacco-related health expenditures. In light of the increasing burden of healthcare on the U.S. economy, it would be irresponsible to do otherwise.

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Sexual Health: Let's Start Talking

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:23:00 GMT

In most European nations, sexuality is embraced as a positive, natural part of life. There is open dialogue and positive social norms associated with sexual health and sexuality. In contrast, many Americans are uncomfortable talking about sex. While American girls most often initiate the conversation, they worry that their partners will react negatively, either rejecting them or questioning their sexual history. Most young adults report that they would postpone sexual activity if they could converse more openly and honestly with their parents. Meanwhile many parents say they don’t know how to talk to their kids about sex and tend to avoid the subject altogether. Teens and their healthcare providers also rarely talk about sex, with 66% of teens aged 15-17 saying they have never discussed condoms or birth control with their doctor.

However, an Advocates for Youth study found that parents in countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and France accept that sexual behavior is a normal part of human development. In these countries, adults tend to have greater respect for adolescents while expecting them, in turn, to act responsibly. There is also strong government support for sexuality education, long-term public education campaigns, and access to sexual health care services, including contraception. It is easier for European families to engage in open and honest discussions with teens about sexuality and sexual health services. When sexual health and sexuality are positively discussed and addressed, the overall quality of life and health of society is improved.

Unfortunately, the U.S. lags behind most other western nations in achieving optimal sexual health. Rooted in our longstanding, conservative attitudes, our approach to sexual health and sexuality is often negative, focused on disease and risks, incomplete, and sensationalized. Many Americans also lack access to adequate sexual health education and health services. These factors have contributed to high levels of sexually transmitted infections and chronic illnesses, unintended pregnancies, infertility, discrimination, stigma and partner violence.

The U.S has made significant progress —the teen pregnancy rate has declined 42% since 1990 — but is still nearly three times greater than rates in France and Germany. Similarly, the 2008 U.S. teen birth rate was nearly two times greater than the United Kingdom and ten times greater than Switzerland’s. Not surprisingly, European youth are more likely to be well protected during their most recent sex than their U.S. peers, with significantly higher levels of condom and contraceptive pill use. These teenage trends continue into adulthood. The prevalence of HIV among the adult U.S. population is estimated to be 1.5 to 6 times higher than France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Americans of all ages often lack the information and skills they need to make good sexual decisions. Surveys reveal that many are misinformed about the risks of unprotected sex, particularly the risks of oral sex; the availability and effectiveness of different contraceptives, along with how to use them; and their personal level of risk. Large-scale communications campaigns like Bedsider from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, which focuses on increasing contraceptive usage and consistency, have begun to address this need. However, there is much more to do. We can also learn from models around the world, such as the “Sex Worth Talking About” campaign in the United Kingdom, which aims to transform the prevailing culture of “stigma shame, and embarrassment” into a “new culture: open, positive, supportive, respectful.”

Good health is important to achieve and maintain throughout life, and this includes our sexual health. We must embrace sexual health and sexuality as a natural, normal, and positive part of life, across the lifespan and in a variety of contexts. Beginning to have open and honest communication and dialogue on the subject is a step in the right direction. We need to make “sexual health” a household term, from the dinner table to the doctor’s office.

Jaclyn Fontanella, MPH

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Disparities in Tobacco Use

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:03:00 GMT

The national survey on tobacco use recently published in the American Journal of Public Health shows that tobacco use remains high among U.S. adults and use varies greatly among populations and geographic regions. The study found that 19.3% of adults smoke cigarettes and one in four adults use tobacco products. Use of other tobacco products, although dwarfed by cigarette use, may also be increasing. This increase threatens the gains made in curbing tobacco use through cigarette tax policy, aggressive anti-smoking media campaigns, smoke-free air policies, and access to tobacco cessation services.

Tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, snuff, cigars and cigarillos, and pipes, still cause negative health consequences, but are often overshadowed by efforts to reduce smoking. By including other tobacco products in the survey, there was a noteworthy expansion in how researchers view the tobacco epidemic and highlights the need for public health strategies to include these products in tobacco control efforts.

Patterns of tobacco use were uncovered by categorizing 118,581 respondents by gender, age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, annual household income, and sexual orientation. Kentucky had the highest rate of tobacco use (37.4% of adults) while Utah had the lowest (14.1% of adults). Men smoke much more than women, and two-thirds of adults identifying as ‘non-Hispanic other’ reported using any tobacco product. This study is also the first national assessment of tobacco use in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community (LGBT). Tobacco use among LGBT individuals is 38.5%, compared to 25.3% among heterosexual respondents.

The study underscores the importance of addressing disparities in tobacco use to effectively implement tobacco control programs. All at-risk populations should be represented in evidence-based studies and they must have access to cessation programs and services. By focusing on the populations and regions with the highest use, we can work toward truly comprehensive policy and system changes to ensure a tobacco-free future for all Americans.

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The Case of the Missing Prevention

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:24:00 GMT

The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) new report, Best Care at Lower Cost: The Path to Continuously Learning Health Care in America, includes the issue of missed prevention opportunities, which resulted in $55 billion dollars in excess costs in 2009. This small, but important, segment of waste shows that prevention is not being integrated into health care as well as it could be.

Missed opportunities to deliver primary and secondary preventive services lead to waste and excess cost in multiple ways. When people miss screening tests, diseases or infections are not detected early when they are more easily treatable. More extensive care is usually required later when they are sicker. When people are not counseled, they fail to receive advice and support to stop smoking, reduce alcohol consumption, engage in safer sex, or lose weight. And when people do not receive necessary vaccinations, they place themselves at risk of contracting an illness that could lead them to the doctor’s office or hospital for treatment.

Tertiary prevention also plays a role in excess spending. Ill patients, particularly those chronically ill, may require long-term care and rehabilitation. Interventions such as disease management, self-care training, and care coordination help patients manage their illness and stay out of the hospital. Unfortunately, these interventions are implemented too infrequently.

The IOM report highlights an important issue. Although a small part of excessive health care spending, it shows that our health care system has room to improve in emphasizing prevention. Partnership for Prevention has long advocated for a prevention-focused health system and delivery of high-value preventive services, such as those identified by the National Commission on Prevention Priorities (www.prevent.org/ncpp). Healthcare providers must not only provide preventive services to patients but also work together on their patients’ behalf, imploring them to promote their own health. The health care system could save the nation billions of dollars annually in unnecessary costs, and save lives, by joining hands and promoting prevention.

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FDA Needs to Regulate All Tobacco Products

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 09:41:00 GMT

Yesterday the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report,Consumption of Cigarettes and Combustible Tobacco in the United States between 2000 and 2012. Although the total use of combustible tobacco products decreased by 27.5% over the time frame, use of non-cigarette combustible tobacco increased by 123%. This suggests that some cigarette smokers are switching to other products and diminishes progress in decreasing combustible tobacco use.

Non-cigarette combustible tobacco products include roll-your-own tobacco products, large and small cigars, loose and pipe tobacco. Such products are exempt from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation. Partnership for Prevention fully supports FDA regulation of ALL tobacco products. Excluding these non-cigarette tobacco products from FDA oversight contributes to their increased use. In particular, consumption of pipe tobacco increased by 482.5%, loose tobacco by 123%, and large cigars by 233%.

Differences in how tobacco products are classified and taxed have caused cigar consumption to increase. Tobacco manufacturers have increased the weight of small cigars, thus allowing them to be classified as large cigars, which are exempt from certain taxes and regulations. However, these cigars resemble a cigarette but are taxed at much lower rate. Similarly, pipe tobacco is now used in roll-your-own cigarettes, prepared using a machine, because it is taxed less than roll-your-own loose tobacco. This can create the illusion that the consumption of roll-your-own cigarettes decreased, when in fact individuals are simply substituting products, and using other methods (a machine versus manually rolling cigarettes) to achieve the same result.

The U.S. Surgeon General and the National Cancer Institute have concluded that cigar smoke can cause cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx and lungs, as well as heart and lung disease. Furthermore, exposure to cigar smoke can increase the risk of infertility, stillbirth and low birth weight. Partnership for Prevention believes yesterday’s CDC report only further highlights the consequences of failing to regulate all combustible tobacco products. There are no safe tobacco products and certain products should not be exempt from regulation.

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A Healthy Lifestyle Includes Limiting Alcohol

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:24:00 GMT

With the current emphasis on living a healthy lifestyle, we mostly hear about the importance of eating right, exercising, and not smoking. We hear much less about the harms of consuming too much alcohol. In moderation, alcohol appears to have some health benefits. However, alcohol abuse continues to be a major public health problem because many people do not follow the guidelines for safe consumption of alcohol (one drink for women, two for men).

Hangovers aside, few substances inflict such a substantial toll on our society. Domestic violence, child abuse, car crashes, violent crimes, and vandalism and other neighborhood disturbances often result from excessive alcohol consumption. In individuals, drinking too much for too long can lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diseases of the liver, dementia and other neurological problems, and depression. Reducing the burden of excessive alcohol consumption requires political will to pass effective policies, and resources to educate the public and enforce existing laws.

The Guide to Community Preventive Services recommends several evidence-based policies to reduce excessive consumption in the general population. These include:
• Dram shop liability laws that make alcohol retailers liable for harms inflicted by a customer,
• Alcohol excise taxes,
• Limits on the days and hours that alcohol can be sold, and
• Limits on the density of outlets that sell alcohol,

The Community Guide also recently published a recommendation against the further privatization of alcohol retailers, and also recommends a number of policies and practices to reduce alcohol-impaired driving.

In addition, Partnership for Prevention’s National Commission on Prevention Priorities found screening for alcohol misuse and brief counseling by healthcare providers to be a highly cost-effective clinical preventive service.

In light of Alcohol Awareness Month, drinking responsibly and in appropriate amounts is crucial for our own health and the health of our society.

Alyson Hazen Kristensten, MPH
Senior Fellow and Program Officer
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Celebrating National School Lunch Week

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:39:00 GMT

October 10-14 is National School Lunch Week, a time to celebrate the federal program that feeds more than 30 million children every day. For some, this school lunch may be the only meal they eat all day. The national school lunch program is often accused of serving unappetizing, unhealthy processed foods. Last year President Obama signed into law the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act to address many criticisms of the program. Schools now must do more to bring school meals in-line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, such as offering non- or low-fat milk, providing free drinking water, and establishing nutrition standards for foods sold outside of the school meal program. ]

Around the country, schools are improving their cafeteria offerings and implementing interesting and innovative programs to help students eat more healthfully. School gardens are gaining popularity as a way to teach students about where food comes from, as well as provide a source of readily available produce for school meals. Salad bars are becoming more commonplace to encourage students to eat more fruits and vegetables. To help schools purchase salad bar equipment, Mrs. Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative runs a grant program. And many schools are stocking their vending machines with bottled water, 100% juice, baked chips, and other healthier snacks, or even turning off the vending machines for portions of the day.

American children and adolescents are still a long way from getting the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, and still consume too many sugary drinks. But small, incremental steps to improve the school food environment are moving them in the right direction.

Alyson Hazen Kristensen
Senior Fellow & Program Officer
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FDA's Achievements in Tobacco Control

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:37:00 GMT

In 2009, the Center for Tobacco Products was established within the FDA, allowing the agency to regulate tobacco products. In just two years, five historic regulations have ensured that consumers are fully aware of the dangers of tobacco and discouraged the onset of addiction.

The five historic regulations are:

• Ban flavored cigarettes – in September 2009, the FDA banned flavored cigarettes, helping to limit youth initiation. Research had shown that tobacco companies were marketing cigarettes in various flavors to youth.
• Restrict youth access to tobacco products – in March 2010, the FDA issued a rule restricting access and marketing of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products to youth. As a result, fewer retailers are selling tobacco products to youth across the country and enforcement of laws prohibiting sales of tobacco products is stronger
• Ban misleading advertising claims – in June 2010, the FDA banned the use of claims like “low”, “medium”, and “light” on tobacco packaging to communicate that these products are not actually safer.
• Establish new smokeless tobacco health warnings – also in June 2010, the FDA established new smokeless tobacco warnings to advertise health risks.
• Issue new cigarette health warnings – in June 2011, the FDA released new graphic health warning labels for pack of cigarettes.

The FDA’s issuing of new graphic health warnings was the most significant change to cigarette warnings in 25 years. In addition to text, the new labels include large graphic images highlighting the health consequences of smoking. The national quit line number 1-800-QUIT-NOW is also on every pack. The warning labels are estimated to reduce the number of smokers by 213,000 in 2013.

Partnership applauds the work of the Center of Tobacco Products and its achievements in the past two years to regulate Americans’ use of these legal, but undeniably harmful, products.

Jenna Frkovich
Tobacco Control Team
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Aspirin to Prevent Cancer?

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:36:00 GMT

Aspirin, also known as the “Wonder Drug,” now has additional support for that moniker. Three studies were published yesterday in Lancet and Lancet Oncology that demonstrate aspirin’s ability to prevent cancer. Researchers have known that aspirin reduces the long-term risk of death due to cancer, with the strongest evidence for colon cancer. One of the studies provides additional evidence that aspirin reduces the number of cancer cases and cancer deaths in the short-term (within 5 years) as well. That study also found that the risk of major bleeding as a side effect of aspirin use actually decreased with extended use.

The two other studies demonstrated that aspirin prevents distant cancer spread and suggest that aspirin might help in the treatment of some cancers. An editorial that accompanied these articles—co-authored by Dr. Andy Chan, a member of Partnership’s Council on Aspirin for Health and Prevention—stated that this evidence is compelling and concluded that new guidelines for using aspirin cannot separate its benefit in preventing heart attacks and strokes from preventing cancer. Therefore, it’s likely that aspirin for cancer prevention will soon be a recommended clinical preventive service. In light of the recent controversy regarding the benefits and risks of aspirin for preventing cardiovascular disease, this new research adds significant weight to both the benefits of aspirin and that aspirin should be included in the therapeutic arsenal to fight cancer.

Jason Spangler, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer

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Hard-Hitting “Tips from Former Smokers” Advertisements Will Save Lives

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:21:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention applauds the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today as it launches the national tobacco education campaign, “Tips from Former Smokers,” which depicts the harsh reality faced by real people who are suffering through illnesses caused by smoking and secondhand smoke. In these advertisements, former smokers bravely expose their smoking-related conditions, such as stomas, paralysis from stroke, lung removal, heart attack, and limb amputations. People are aware that smoking kills, but that’s only one part of the story—it can also lead to debilitating health problems at a relatively young age and rob many smokers of their independence. The advertisements underscore the immediate damage that smoking can cause to the body and feature real people who were diagnosed with life-altering diseases, some before they were 40 years old.

The CDC campaign is an important counter to the aggressive tobacco industry marketing efforts that make smoking look glamorous and mature. The tobacco industry spends $1 million every hour - $10.5 billion annually - to market and promote its products. Every two days, the tobacco industry spends approximately what the CDC has budgeted for this entire 12-week campaign. The tobacco industry has been successful in persuading youth to start smoking, as 80% of young smokers smoke one of the three most heavily advertised cigarette brands.

The scientific evidence is clear that one of the best ways to reduce the power of tobacco industry marketing is through aggressive public education campaigns. Released last week, the Surgeon General’s Report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, concluded that adequately funded anti-tobacco media campaigns reduces tobacco use among youth, and the greater the exposure, the less likely youth are to smoke. There is also sound evidence supporting the use of hard-hitting images and messages to encourage smokers to quit and keep children from starting. A systematic review of the literature on the impact of mass media campaigns found that messages that used graphic images and/or testimonials to portray the negative consequences of smoking were found to be most effective at generating increased knowledge and quitting behavior.

The “Tips from Former Smokers” campaign is an important step in reducing the toll that smoking-related illnesses take on real people and their loved ones. Each year in the United States an estimated 443,000 people die due to smoking related illness, and for every person that dies from smoking, another 20 live with smoking-related illness. It is important to listen to the voices of former smokers because they understand the where tobacco addiction can lead. Their stories can save lives by encouraging people to quit smoking and preventing young people from taking up this life-threatening addiction.

David Zauche
Senior Program Officer
Partnership for Prevention

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Surgeon General Report Highlights the Issue of Youth Tobacco Use

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 08:48:00 GMT

Yesterday, Surgeon General Regina Benjamin called upon the nation to make the next generation tobacco-free, and Partnership for Prevention stands firmly behind her effort to prevent the serious health consequences of nicotine addiction. Far too many youth and young adults are still using tobacco. Today, more than 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students smoke cigarettes. The decline in cigarette smoking has slowed in the last decade and the decline in smokeless tobacco use has stalled completely. If we had continued the successes in reducing youth tobacco use that were made between 1997 and 2003, there could be 3 million fewer young smokers today.

The 31st tobacco-related Surgeon General’s Report Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults describes the epidemic of tobacco use among youth ages 12-17 and young adults ages 18-25. It is vital to prevent tobacco use in this age group since virtually no one begins smoking after age 25. Nearly 90% of smokers start smoking by age 18 and 99% start before age 26. Additionally, the younger people are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they will become addicted. About 3 out of 4 teen smokers end up smoking until adulthood, and a third of those who persist in smoking will die prematurely.

It is no accident that youth are taking up smoking—they are constantly surrounded by social and environmental influences that glamorize tobacco use and make it seem like the social norm. Youth see tobacco use in the movies they watch, the video games they play, the websites they visit, and in the communities where they live. Tobacco companies spend more than a million dollars an hour in this country alone to market their products, and more than 80% of underage smokers choose the top three most heavily advertised brands. The industry is also coming out with new products to appeal to the younger generation, including candy-flavored cigars and smokeless tobacco products that look like dissolvable mints. Youth who are exposed to cigarette advertising, images of smoking in movies, or have friends or siblings that smoke are more likely to start using tobacco themselves.

It is critical that we improve the health of the next generation by preventing the onset of tobacco use, both to save lives and health care dollars. If comprehensive tobacco control programs are fully funded at levels recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and states adopt the strategies outlined in this Surgeon General’s report, youth smoking rates can be cut in half in 6 years. We know what works — comprehensive efforts that include mass media campaigns, higher tobacco prices, smoke-free laws and policies, evidence-based school programs, and community-wide efforts. Additionally, adult tobacco cessation as a secondary tobacco prevention strategy for youth should be considered: if less parents, teachers, coaches, actors, and musicians smoke we will be more likely to create a culture in which smoking is de-normalized and smoke-free lifestyles are embraced by young people.

It is essential that we respond to the Surgeon General’s call to action and redouble our efforts to accelerate the decline in youth and young adult tobacco use. America’s future depends on it!

David Zauche
Senior Program Officer

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Not All Screening Tests Help Patients

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:44:00 GMT

“First, do no harm.” Most of us know that this phrase is the first tenet of medicine. Unfortunately, health providers can inadvertently harm patients while trying to help them. We know that certain tests, procedures, and even advice can unintentionally hurt a patient. We also know, from much research, that more health care doesn’t equal better health.

The draft prostate cancer screening recommendation recently released by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) brings this issue to the surface. The USPSTF has recommended that healthy men should not be screened for prostate cancer using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test. Although relatively inexpensive and painless, the USPSTF’s research found that testing for high PSA levels does not save lives. In fact, many men suffered significant and lasting negative effects (including impotence) from the required follow-up procedures needed to determine if cancer is present. The research also uncovered that men that are diagnosed with prostate cancer usually die from something else because their prostate cancer grew very slowly. Thus, the USPSTF has issued a D recommendation for routine PSA testing in healthy men, meaning that the harms of the test outweigh the benefits. It still encourages shared decision-making between providers and their patients, and emphasizes that this recommendation does not apply to men with symptoms that are highly suspicious for prostate cancer.

Preventing disease is necessary for improving our nation’s health. But not all preventive services are effective. Not all health care, even screening, is beneficial. We must examine the evidence, carefully evaluate the harms versus the benefits, and follow wherever the evidence leads us, even if it means deviating from the norm. As the chair of the USPSTF said, “…evidence — rather than tradition — should drive screening decisions.” Partnership couldn’t agree more.

Jason Spangler, MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer
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The Role of Hospitals in Helping Patients Quit

Alyson Hazen Kristensen — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:07:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention’s ActionToQuit initiative is pleased to offer the “Helping Patients Quit” guide to hospital leaders and care providers as a useful tool in implementing a comprehensive tobacco cessation program. Screening all patients for tobacco use and offering treatment and follow-up to those who use tobacco is both good policy and practice. Hospitals are a good place to intervene because the hospitalized tobacco user is, at least temporarily, is in a tobacco-free environment. Patients may be highly motivated to quit because tobacco use may have caused or contributed to their hospitalization. Unfortunately, hospitals have been slow to adopt programs to help their patients quit using tobacco.

The commentary Integrating Comprehensive Tobacco Treatment Into the Evolving US Health Care System highlights the significant impact of tobacco use treatment in a health care setting. A 1990 randomized control study of a hospital-based cessation program showed that cessation rates increased from 32% to 61% at one year follow-up among patients that had been hospitalized for heart attack. Despite these significant findings, little change occurred in the health care setting to address tobacco use. In the past decade, however, progress has been noticeable, although still lagging considering the substantial evidence supporting the cost-effectiveness of tobacco use treatment. In fact, the National Commission on Prevention Priorities (NCPP) found that tobacco screening and counseling is one of the few clinical preventive services that is cost-saving.

Current reforms and policies hint at a continued movement towards the integration of a comprehensive care management system for tobacco dependence in the health care system. Nevertheless, we must not be content with the current pace of progress, but rather double our efforts to save lives and reduce the suffering caused by tobacco use.

The Joint Commission has provided national leadership by developing new tobacco cessation performance measures and, as a result, many hospitals will make this a priority. It is Partnership’s hope that hospital leaders and practitioners will use the Helping Patients Quit guide to develop a tobacco cessation screening and treatment program for their facility and assist all patients who use tobacco to successfully quit.

Sandhia Rajan
ActionToQuit Program Manager
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Community Health Centers and Tobacco Cessation: First Steps

Brian McCue — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:24:00 GMT

This week is Community Health Center Week, as announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (video below, or click here).

In 2011, the role that hospitals should play in tobacco cessation has been widely discussed because of the Joint Commission’s new tobacco measure set. But where do community health centers stand with tobacco cessation? Given that smoking is common among those who use community health centers, can tobacco cessation services be improved?

There is some good news. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which qualifies and funds community health centers, has incorporated four new clinical measures into its quality improvement program for FY2011 with reporting to begin in FY2012. Tobacco use assessment and counseling is one of the four. That HRSA’s Health Center Program quality improvement initiative has established tobacco cessation as a reportable performance measure will extend the reach of this important preventive service, as well as ensure alignment with the CMS Meaningful Use requirements for health information technology.

Last week Partnership for Prevention spoke with Seiji Hayashi, MD, who serves as Chief Medical Officer for the Bureau of Primary Health Care at HRSA. He confirmed that the clinical measure on tobacco cessation is in effect. After data is first submitted and reviewed in 2012, HRSA will better know where community health centers stand in terms of implementation/compliance. Dr. Hayashi emphasized that the initiative is in its initial stage and results will vary from center to center. He also said that all HRSA-funded health centers must report on the tobacco cessation measures as of next year; it is not optional.

It is Partnership for Prevention’s view that this is an excellent first step toward helping community health center patients stop smoking. However, the tobacco cessation services offered will not necessarily be comprehensive and further advocacy is needed to ensure that all counseling strategies and pharmacotherapy recommended by the Public Health Service are included as standards of care. To read a summary of the expansion of the performance measures initiative, click here.

Alyson Hazen Kristensen, MPH
Senior Fellow & Program Officer

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New Report on Health Effects of Transportation Policies Could Help Policymakers

Brian McCue — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:11:00 GMT

In this age of federal budget cuts, transportation will be no exception. Earlier this month, John Mica, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released his proposal for reauthorizing the long overdue surface transportation act. Although the proposal has both positives and negatives, it focuses heavily on the highway system and eliminates or consolidates many programs that impact public health and safety.

The transportation bill is an important avenue for improving public health and safety. It funds programs that modify our environment to make physical activity easier and more convenient for millions of Americans. The real or perceived inability to safely walk or bike to near destinations keeps people in their cars and sedentary — the result is traffic congestion, air pollution, and bigger waistlines. Safe Routes to Schools, Transportation Enhancement Program, Recreational Trails Program, and others are on the chopping block. The transportation act also funds public transit systems, which are relied upon by those who cannot or chose not to drive and reduce air pollution by taking cars off the road.

Policymakers debating tough issues, such as what to fund and what to cut, need information on the health ramifications of their decisions. While some might say that health doesn’t belong in the transportation act, the truth is that many policies impact health, a concept that has gained traction among public health leaders. Harnessing the power of seemingly irrelevant policies could help the nation efficiently and more cheaply improve health and stave off chronic disease than funding expensive health care programs.

Partnership for Prevention today released a report that adds to the growing body of evidence that ‘health in all policies’ is an important concept to embrace. Transportation and Health: Policy Interventions for Safer, Healthier People and Communities contains transportation policy options and summarizes the science on how they impact health. The three areas examined are: the environment and environmental health, community design and active transportation, and motor vehicle-related injuries and fatalities. Policymakers at all levels that are faced with hard decisions regarding transportation can use this report to inform their decision-making.

Alyson Hazen Kristensen, MPH
Senior Fellow & Program Officer

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IOM Releases New Report on Clinical Preventive Services for Women

Brian McCue — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:09:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) charged the Institute of Medicine (IOM) with reviewing the current Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and Bright Futures, to see if there were any gaps pertaining to women’s health. Several factors are unique to women and influence their health differently than men: women live longer than men, have higher rates of chronic disease and disability, and have more need of medical attention due to being able to have children. With the ACA’s shift to preventive care, the impact on women’s health and well-being will be profound. In fact, earlier this year, Partnership’s President Jud Richland testified before the IOM panel in support of additional insurance coverage for women for services with proven effectiveness.

Last week the IOM panel released its report Clinical Preventive Services for Women: Closing the Gaps detailing the findings. It concluded that eight additional preventive services should be added to the services that health plans will cover with no co-pays or deductibles under the Women’s Health Amendment in the ACA. Eliminating financial barriers would increase the number of women getting these services.

These services include improved screening and counseling for cervical cancer and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and HPV; annual well-woman preventive care visits; gestational diabetes screening for pregnant women; lactation counseling and equipment for breast-feeding mothers; and additional screening and counseling to detect and prevent domestic violence. The report also recommends that insurers cover "the full range" of FDA-approved contraceptive methods, as well as sterilization and reproductive counseling at no cost to the patients, to prevent unintended pregnancy.

If the IOM’s recommendations are accepted by the DHHS, women will no longer have to pay any out-of-pocket costs for any of these preventive services. DHHS could possibly make a decision and release their updated regulations by August 1st. Committee chair Linda Rosenstock, Dean, School of Public Health, UCLA, says, “This report provides a road map for improving the health and well-being of women. The eight services we identified are necessary to support women’s optimal health and well-being.”

Click here for more information.

Smoking in Top-Grossing Movies

Brian McCue — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:38:00 GMT

Today, the CDC released a new report called Smoking in Top-Grossing Movies—United States, 2010 which provides details about tobacco use in movies in the last year. The percentage of 2010 top-grossing movies with no tobacco incidents was the highest observed in over two decades, indicating continuing progress towards the US Department of Health and Human Service’s goal of reducing youth exposure to onscreen smoking.

From 2005 to 2010, the number of onscreen tobacco incidents in youth-rated (G, PG, or PG-13) movies decreased by 71.6% and the average number of smoking incidents per youth-rated movie decreased by 66.2%. However, the degree of reduction varied considerably by motion picture company. Out of the six major motion picture companies, three have published policies designed to reduce tobacco use in their movies. The companies with anti-tobacco policies had an average decrease in tobacco use incidents of 95.8% compared with the average decrease of 41.7% among the three companies without policies.

Reducing the number of smoking depictions that youths are exposed to in movies is critical. A recent meta-analysis of four studies attributed 44% of youth smoking initiation to viewing tobacco incidents in movies. Additionally, adolescents with the most exposure to onscreen tobacco use are twice as likely to begin smoking as those who are less exposed. If motion picture companies continue to lessen the presence of cigarettes and other tobacco products in their films, this could lead to significant public health improvements among adolescents.

The three motion picture companies with anti-tobacco policies had the greatest success in reducing tobacco imagery in their movies and have shown the remarkable difference that an enforceable anti-tobacco policy can make in preventing adolescent smoking initiation. Other movie companies can help contribute to the reduction in youth smoking by giving films with tobacco incidents an R-rating, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization and other public health groups. Since youths do view some R-rated movies, it is also recommended that anti-tobacco advertisements are shown before movies that depict smoking.

State policymakers and local health organizations can also help prevent youth smoking by designing and enforcing policies which discourage representations of tobacco use in movies. All states offer movie producers tax credits or cash rebates to attract movie production to their states, and limiting eligibility for state subsidies to tobacco free-movies is a strategy which could be added to state tobacco control programs. Other policy recommendations include certifying no payments for showing tobacco use and eliminating tobacco brands in movies.

Removing imagery which glorifies smoking cigarettes and using other tobacco products is vital to reducing the use of these harmful products by youth. If all major motion picture companies adopt anti-tobacco policies and limit youth exposure to smoking, it will have a significant impact on the health and well being of adolescents by preventing tobacco addiction and tobacco-related disease.

Jenna Frkovich
Tobacco Control Team

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Joint Commission Announces Final Tobacco Measure Set

Brian McCue — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:27:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention is pleased to announce that the Joint Commission has released its long-awaited tobacco measure set. The new certification measures will require participating hospitals to screen all inpatients for tobacco, provide counseling and pharmacologic treatment to tobacco users, and provide limited follow-up after discharge. This measure set is currently being incorporated into the Joint Commission/CMS specifications manual for national hospital inpatient quality measures.

Partnership for Prevention provided the original funding for development and pilot testing of the measure set. Partnership’s ActionToQuit initiative advocates that all hospitals and health systems in the nation contribute to the public’s health by making tobacco cessation a priority. While tobacco screening/treatment for all patients is currently the practice in some hospitals, by and large it is not a routine procedure in spite of broad agreement that cessation treatments are both effective and cost-effective. Hospitalization provides an ideal opportunity to deliver interventions that can help tobacco users quit.

While this is a significant step forward for tobacco cessation in the U.S., there is much more work to be done before all hospitals, health centers, and addiction treatment facilities establish this as a standard practice.

To view the measure set, visit the Joint Commission website and look for Specifications Manual version 4.0:

The four tobacco measures have been extracted and can be found here:

TOB-1
TOB-2
TOB-3
TOB-4

David Zauche
Senior Program Officer

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IOM Report on Obesity Prevention for Young Children

Brian McCue — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:42:00 GMT

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released its first report on obesity prevention for young children. Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies contains recommendations for decision makers, childcare providers, and others who can influence the environments of infants, toddlers, and preschool age children. More and more research is showing that birth to age five is a critical time for shaping a young child’s eating and physical activity habits. Although some amount of “baby fat” is necessary for normal growth and development, we now know that excessive chubbiness puts children at risk for future obesity and chronic diseases. Children’s weights have been increasing over the past few decades, just as adults’ weights have. Most childhood obesity interventions are directed at school-age children, an age that many are now thinking is already too late. Early childhood is the perfect time to intervene because children do not yet have unhealthy habits that need to be “unlearned” later. This report offers an authoritative science-based set of recommendations for child care providers, daycare administrators, and regulatory agencies to help reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by focusing on our youngest members of society.

Alyson Hazen Kristensen, MPH
Senior Fellow & Program Officer

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Second Anniversary of the Tobacco Control Act

Brian McCue — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:04:00 GMT

Today is the two year anniversary of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act). In 1996, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s attempt at regulating the tobacco industry was denied by the Supreme Court, who declared that Congress’s approval was needed. In 2009, the House and Senate approved the Tobacco Control Act and it was signed by President Obama on June 22nd to allow regulation of tobacco manufacturing, marketing, and sales.

The Tobacco Control Act gives the FDA certain authority over tobacco products in order to reduce tobacco use by adolescents and to protect overall public health. In just two years, the FDA has already instituted significant provisions. One such provision was the FDA’s prohibition of tobacco companies’ use of the words “light,” “mild,” or “low” on tobacco products. Tobacco products with such labels as “mild” or “light” lead smokers to believe they are less harmful than “regular” tobacco products. By banning these terms, the FDA hopes to impact public health and increase motivation to quit smoking. Additionally, under the Tobacco Control Act, tobacco companies are no longer allowed to offer branded sponsorship to athletic, educational, or cultural events.

The FDA’s most recent exercise of power under this Act occurred just yesterday, with the unveiling of nine graphic warning labels to appear on every pack of cigarettes. These labels are meant to deter smokers of all ages with imagery and captions stating the various harms of smoking cigarettes.

Since its establishment two years ago, the Tobacco Control Act has been a beneficial tool for the FDA to reduce tobacco use across the United States, and will continue to be utilized in order to promote health and save lives.

Genna Reed
Tobacco Control Team

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FDA Announces New Cigarette Warning Labels

Brian McCue — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:27:00 GMT

This afternoon at the White House, Partnership for Prevention attended the unveiling of the nine graphic health warnings that will appear on every pack of cigarettes sold in the United States and in every cigarette advertisement. Beginning September 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require larger, more noticeable health warnings, replacing the Surgeon General warning that is currently displayed. This marks the first change in cigarette packaging in more than 25 years. The graphic warnings attempt to accurately communicate the dangers of smoking by representing serious tobacco-related health risks including death, addiction, lung disease, cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Each warning is also accompanied by a smoking cessation phone number, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, which provides information and support from trained professionals to help smokers who are interested in quitting.

The FDA worked with experts in the fields of health communications, marketing, graphic design, and advertising to develop 36 proposed graphic images. They conducted a large-scale study with 18,000 participants from different age groups and ethnic backgrounds to measure consumer responses to the images and determine relative effectiveness of the proposed warnings. They also released the images to the public and received 1,700 comments from various groups. After reviewing relevant scientific literature, analyzing the results of the study, and reviewing public comments, the FDA selected the final nine images.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act requires the new graphic health warnings to appear on every cigarette pack, carton, and advertisement by September 22, 2012. They will appear on the top 50 percent of both the front and back panels of each cigarette package and in the upper portion of each cigarette advertisement. This rule applies to anyone who packages, distributes, imports, or sells cigarette products in the United States. The FDA intends to monitor and evaluate the impact of the required warnings once they enter the marketplace to determine their effectiveness with various target audiences.

“These labels are frank, honest and powerful depictions of the health risks of smoking and they will help encourage smokers to quit, and prevent children from smoking.” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Tobacco use is responsible for 433,000 deaths annually and costs our economy nearly $200 billion each year in medical costs and lost productivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The introduction of these warnings is expected to have a major public health impact by decreasing the number of smokers, resulting in many lives saved and improved health.

Jenna Frkovich
Tobacco Control Team

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Prevent HIV Infections

Brian McCue — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:51:00 GMT

HIV infections can be prevented. CDC estimates that 20 percent of persons infected with HIV do not know they have the infection. Research now shows that getting tested and, if infected, getting treated early and consistently, substantially reduces transmission of the virus. USPSTF recommends screening for persons at risk, such as gay and bisexual men, and also screening persons in any clinical setting in which prevalence of HIV infection among the patients is 1% or greater. Locate a testing center online by entering your zip code below or by texting your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948).

Click here for more information.

Progress at the FDA Center for Tobacco Products

Brian McCue — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:44:00 GMT

Last week Partnership for Prevention participated in a Stakeholders Meeting sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). The purpose was to inform public health advocacy organizations and professional associations about progress the CTP has made in implementing the Tobacco Control Act and foster communication channels for the future. This month marks the two year anniversary of President Obama’ s signing of the Tobacco Control Act into law which, among other things, required the establishment of the CTP.

Federal regulation of tobacco is a new strategy in public health, adding to the other effective tobacco control approaches such as smoke free laws, increased taxes, and cessation policies. Unfortunately, there is limited awareness of the CTP and its accomplishments to date, especially at the grass roots level. For Partnership for Prevention, one of the primary means of support for the CTP will be promoting its excellent work in saving American lives from tobacco.

Did You Know the CTP:

• Acted to protect kids from tobacco by prohibiting distribution of free samples and sale of single cigarettes?
• Banned tobacco products labeled with descriptors like “low”, “light”, “mild”?
• Cannot ban tobacco or any class of tobacco products?
• Banned flavorings in cigarettes (with the exception of menthol)?
• Cannot eliminate nicotine from tobacco products but can reduce levels?
• Will publish final regs on nine new graphic warning labels for cigarette packs – next week?
• In the coming year will issue reports on dissolvable tobacco products, Internet tobacco sales, and modified risk tobacco products?

Please spread the word to your constituencies about the good work of the Center for Tobacco Products.

The CTP’s mission statement is:
To protect Americans from tobacco-related death and disease by regulating the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products by educating the public, especially young people, about tobacco products and the dangers their use poses to themselves and others.

Click here for more information.

Partnership and Legacy Sponsor Webinar on Engaging Employers in Tobacco Control

Brian McCue — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:38:00 GMT

The workplace is a key sector in which tobacco control and businesses can make a significant contribution to saving lives from tobacco-related illness. On June 8, 2011, Partnership for Prevention’s ActionToQuit initiative and Legacy hosted the webinar, “Engaging Employers in Tobacco Control.” More than 350 advocates tuned into the program featuring representatives from Sprint and Caterpillar -- companies that have made a corporate commitment to tobacco control. Stacey Nelson and Eric Ewalt described their workplace smoke-free and tobacco cessation efforts. Additionally, Ellen Vargyas of Legacy outlined the current debate over tobacco use and hiring policy that has been a high profile media theme recently.

To view the recording of the webinar and the presentation slides, visit us at http://actiontoquit.org/webinarsandpodcasts/.

Click here for more information.

Tell Medicare Not to Delay!

Brian McCue — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:48:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has invited public comment on proposed changes to its payment policy for U.S. hospitals. While CMS recognizes the value of comprehensive tobacco services, the agency plans to delay until some uncertain “future” the actual adoption of tobacco screening and treatment as quality measures eligible for payment. We know the outcome – what gets paid will get done. That means that many thousands of tobacco users who enter hospitals for treatment may not be offered assistance to help quit.

Public comments are due June 20, 2011 at 5:00pm eastern time. Here is the link to Federal Register announcement CMS-1518-P and instructions for submitting comments:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-05-05/pdf/2011-9644.pdf

Partnership for Prevention submitted its comment to CMS today. Borrow our language or develop your own. Let CMS know that hospital-based tobacco cessation treatment is a critical life-saving service that needs to be implemented nationwide - immediately.

Diane Canova
Vice President, Policy & Programs
Partnership for Prevention

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Be Greater Than AIDS: Get Yourself Tested Month

Brian McCue — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:51:00 GMT

1 in 5 American’s affected with HIV don’t know they have it. This month, in honor of National HIV Testing Month, Get Yourself Tested (GYT) is joining forces with Greater Than AIDS to promote the importance of HIV testing. It is a month-long effort to promote HIV testing, which will culminate on June 27th, National HIV Testing Day. Know yourself, know your status, and play a part in making your community Greater Than AIDS. Check out the website to learn more about the partnership, what you can do to help, or to find a testing center near you.

Jacky Fontantella
STD Program Intern

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World No Tobacco Day 2011

Brian McCue — Tue, 31 May 2011 14:14:00 GMT

Every year on May 31st, countries across the globe observe World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), which is meant to draw attention to the harmful health effects of tobacco and encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from tobacco products. According to a statement by Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary of Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Tobacco use, the major preventable cause of premature death and disease worldwide, represents a public health catastrophe. Globally, tobacco use is projected to cause a billion deaths in this century.”

WNTD was created in 1987 after the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) passed a resolution calling for a “world no-smoking day” which would be celebrated every year with a different tobacco related theme. The themes create a more unified global message for WNTD events around the world, helping set the tobacco-related agenda for the following year.

The theme for WNTD 2011 is “The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control,” which is a treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO that is comprised of several tobacco control requirements. The framework has been in effect since 2005, and is already one of the most rapidly embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations with more than 170 parties conferring to its legal obligations. WHO hopes that this year’s WNTD will urge countries to put the treaty at the heart of their tobacco control efforts and highlight its overall importance in protecting present and future generations from the devastating consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is celebrating WNTD by releasing new global data from 14 countries regarding warning labels on cigarette packages and their effect on smokers’ interest in quitting. Using 2008-2010 data from the Global Adult Tobacco Surveys, researchers found that in the 14 countries who had warning labels, most smokers (more than 90%) reported noticing a cigarette package warning and there was wide variation in thinking about quitting because of the warning ( ranging from 76.6% of Brazilian women to 16.1% of Polish men). Additionally, concurrent with WNTD, the CDC released a new interactive web application—Global Tobacco Surveillance System Data (GTSSData). It provides tobacco-related data that can be used to support countries’ capacities to monitor tobacco use and guide national prevention and control efforts.

The World Health Organization hopes that WNTD 2011 will encourage countries across the globe to step up their tobacco prevention and control efforts and reduce the toll of tobacco related-diseases and deaths worldwide.

Jenna Frkovich
Tobacco Control Team

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New Plan to Prevent and Treat Viral Hepatitis

Brian McCue — Mon, 16 May 2011 10:26:00 GMT

On May 12, 2011 the Department of Health and Human Services launched its plan to prevent and treat viral hepatitis, a silent epidemic affecting 3.5 – 5.3 million Americans. Combating the Silent Epidemic: US Department of Health and Human Services Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis outlines a comprehensive approach to raise awareness about viral hepatitis and creates more opportunities to train health professionals to deliver comprehensive services for what is often a vaccine-preventable infection. Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer. The plan invites active participation from all sectors. Partnership for Prevention is a new member of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable.

For more information on viral hepatitis, see http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/.

Susan K. Maloney, MHS
Managing Senior Fellow & Senior Program Officer

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New Screening Technology May Decrease Lung Cancer Deaths

Brian McCue — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:47:00 GMT

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the United States. It is expected to cause approximately 157,000 deaths in 2011, representing 28% of all cancer deaths. Lung cancer has long been rightfully considered a relatively easy-to-prevent cancer, by not smoking or breathing secondhand smoke, but impossible to detect early with lifesaving benefit. While the early detection of colon, breast, skin cancers and others has paid big dividends in lower mortality rates in recent decades, not so with lung cancer. Previous attempts to develop a test to find lung cancer early, when it is easier to treat, have not been successful. But this may be changing as we look to the near future.

Earlier this week an educational program entitled “Out of the Shadows: Lung Cancer and Screening” was sponsored jointly by the Lung Cancer Alliance and Legacy. The expert panelists made the case that National Cancer Institute’s Lung Cancer Screening Trial, launched in 2002, has demonstrated that tens of thousands of lives can be saved annually if this screening becomes a U.S. health care priority. Specifically, Spiral CT scans, also known as low-dose helical computed tomography, have been shown to decrease lung cancer mortality in current and former heavy smokers.

Cheryl Healton, President and CEO of Legacy, called CT screening the single most important cancer control advance in her lifetime. James Mulshine, MD, another panelist, stated that it is a public health opportunity that won’t be seen again for a long time. There are over 94 million current and former smokers in the United States who are at high risk for lung cancer. Now, with the Spiral CT, an early detection screening procedure exists that could save many of their lives.

It should be added that never starting to smoke, or quitting if you already do, will continue to be the top priorities in saving lives from tobacco. But now, it appears, early detection will be a tool as well.

Click here for more information.

New Partnership for Prevention Case Study: Colorado’s Tobacco Cessation Leadership

Brian McCue — Mon, 09 May 2011 10:20:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention published a state case study telling the story of Colorado’s journey toward comprehensive tobacco cessation coverage. Entitled “A Collaborative Approach to Meeting the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations on Tobacco Cessation Screening and Intervention,” it describes how the Colorado Tobacco Cessation and Sustainability Partnership worked closely with public and private health plans to provide coverage for tobacco treatment. As a result, the majority of Colorado smokers have access to free or low-cost evidence-based cessation services and support for the state’s QuitLine has been enhanced. Advances were made in spite of decreased state tobacco control program funding.

Leaders in many states have begun to work with health plans to discuss the provision of preventive services. As the implementation of federal health reform moves forward it is Partnership’s hope that states can benefit from Colorado’s pioneering work in advancing tobacco cessation treatment. As states and territories progress toward a more integrated approach to preventive health, the Colorado Tobacco Cessation and Sustainability Partnership model for engaging health plans to implement USPSTF recommendations for cessation coverage can be applied to other preventive health services.

Click here for more information.

Mother’s Day Health E-Cards

Brian McCue — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:20:00 GMT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has over 100 E-Cards with healthy messages about smoking cessation, heart health, women’s health and many more. Send one to your mom for Mother’s Day to show her how much you care about her and her and wellbeing.

Click here for more information.

For STD Awareness Month, MTV Debunks Sex Myths

Brian McCue — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:56:00 GMT

Despite education and awareness efforts, many myths about sex persist in our culture, particularly among young adults. Tonight, in accordance with the GYT: Get Yourself Tested campaign and STD Awareness Month, MTV will air the Top Ten Most Outrageous Sex Myths. The show will debunk sex myths such as: “pulling out” is an effective prevention method against pregnancy and STDs; oral and anal sex aren’t really “sex”; if a woman is taking birth control pills, she doesn’t need to worry about STDs; STD testing is for cheaters; and many others. Check out the trailer for tonight’s show here or go to www.GYTNOW.com to learn more. And tune in tonight, April 26th, to MTV at 8:30 ET/PT to watch the show!

Click here for more information.

Partnership CMO Interviewed for STD Awareness Month

Brian McCue — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:29:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jason Spangler, was interviewed by Luis Perez and Shantell Jamison on Chicago Public Media’s Vocalo Overdrive about STD prevention and sexual health. The key message of the interview was the importance of getting screened for STDs. Dr. Spangler also discussed providing a continuum of care, privacy issues, shifting away from fear-based health messages, and why the STD prevalence is so high. Overall, Dr. Spangler emphasized the need to make prevention a priority, discussing how only a small percentage of health care funding actually goes into prevention. You can listen to the entire broadcast here. For more information on STD awareness month visit the National Chlamydia Coalition or the GYT campaign.

Jacky Fontanella
Partnership for Prevention Intern

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Consequences of Too Much Salt

Brian McCue — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:38:00 GMT

Consumption of excessive sodium is a direct cause of hypertension, which affects nearly 1 in 3 Americans. CDC’s next Public Health Grand Rounds, entitled Sodium Reduction: Time for Choice, will be webcast live from CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, April 21st at 1 p.m. (EDT) at www.cdc.gov/about/grand-rounds. Dr. Darwin Labarthe, Director of CDC’s Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Division, will lead a discussion with other experts on the consequences of too much sodium in the diet and the regulatory and technological context for the use of salt in our food supply. The session will also review current sodium control efforts such as the National Salt Reduction Initiative and food procurement policies, and separate fact from fiction to support actions needed to address this very real public health burden.

Controlling the amount of sodium is not as simple as removing salt shakers from tables. Much of the sodium in food comes from processing and restaurant use. A multi-pronged strategy is needed to address the health consequences of excessive sodium. Tune in to the CDC webcast to learn the facts and options for addressing this critical issue.

Click here for more information.

Improve the Health and Well-being of your State

Brian McCue — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:09:00 GMT

Healthways CEO Ben Leedle, Jr. was joined today by Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder and The New York Times best-selling author of Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest and Thrive-Finding Happiness the Blue Zone Way, on Capitol Hill for an educational seminar focused on health and well-being.

Ben Leedle opened the seminar with an overview of Healthways dedication to making the world a healthier place by being a leading provider of programs that maintain or improve public and personal health and well-being.

He demonstrated how, through their simulation model, Healthways is able to profile various populations to determine how that population will “age” in five years. Predicting health outcomes in a community allows Healthways to determine the most costly health related conditions for that population. Behavior change initiatives can then be added to the model to determine what kind of impact they will have on slowing the “aging” process of that population.

Teaming up with Blue Zone’s founder Dan Buettner, Healthways and Blue Zone have created Healthways Blue Zones Vitality City in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Dan Buettner, an internationally recognized researcher, explorer and author implemented a successful prototype Blue Zone community in Albert Lea, MN. By applying the nine lifestyle characteristics, Power 9, Mr. Buettner and his team were able to improve the lives of individuals living in Alber Lea, MN.

This same principal will be applied to the South Bay area of Los Angeles with support from Healthways. Mr. Buettner ended the seminar on an enthusiastic note by illustrating the importance of how changing people’s environments can have, through his experience, the most impact on an individual’s health.

Click here for more information.

Is your Community Healthy?

Brian McCue — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:04:00 GMT

The passage of the Affordable Care Act created a renewed emphasis on community prevention and population health. With the Prevention and Public Health Fund and the Community Transformation Grants, resources are now available to improve the health of communities around the country. But how do you know how healthy your community is?

On Wednesday, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (www.rwjf.org) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (http://uwphi.pophealth.wisc.edu) released the 2011 County Health Rankings (www.countyhealthrankings.org). The County Health Rankings are a key component of the Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health (MATCH) project—a nationwide call to action for improving community health—first released last year. The rankings generate 50 state reports, ranking each county within the 50 states according to its health outcomes and the multiple health factors that determine a county’s health. The four different types of health factors are health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and the physical environment. Specific county-level data (as well as state benchmarks) are also available. The Rankings are built on America’s Health Rankings, an annual comprehensive assessment of the nation’s health on a state-by-state analysis, which is published jointly by United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention.

Many counties around the country have used the Rankings to implement strategies and initiate interventions to positively influence health factors and improve their health outcomes. One specific example is Wyandotte County, Kansas, where Mayor Joe Reardon worked with other local stakeholders to create a Healthy Communities initiative after seeing his state’s low rank in last year’s County Health Rankings report.

A new development with this year’s Rankings is the launch of an innovative tool, the County Health Calculator (http://chc.humanneeds.vcu.edu). The calculator is a new interactive online application that simulates the affect of higher levels of education and income on health in a county. It was developed by Center of Human Needs at Virginia Commonwealth University (http://humanneeds.vcu.edu) with funding by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Read more on Partnership’s community prevention efforts here.

Click here for more information.

Women’s Health Care and the Affordable Care Act

Brian McCue — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:09:00 GMT

Only one year after the landmark legislation was signed, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is already improving women’s access to high quality, affordable health care. When the law is fully implemented in 2014, it will signify the greatest leap forward for American women’s health in decades.

New protections for women under the ACA include:

• Improved Access to Affordable Coverage: Under the ACA, adolescents and young adults up to age 26 may now remain on their families’ plans. Due to substantial new tax credits, more small businesses are now offering health care coverage to their employees. And beginning in 2014, expanded Medicaid eligibility means improved access to healthcare coverage for lower income women and families.
• Free Preventive Care: Under the ACA, women receive recommended preventive services without copayments or deductibles. This includes U.S. Preventive Services Task Force A- and B-rated services such as mammograms, screenings for cervical cancer and chlamydia, prenatal care and more.
• The End of Gender-Based Discrimination: Before the ACA, women could be charged higher premiums than men for the same insurance policy. Beginning in 2014, it will be illegal for insurance companies to charge women higher premiums on the basis of gender.
• Being a Woman is No Longer a Pre-Existing Condition: Before the ACA became law, insurers could deny women coverage for “pre-existing conditions” such as pregnancy, Cesarean sections, and breast cancer. Beginning in 2014, insurers cannot deny coverage to anyone based on pre-existing conditions. Already under the ACA, children cannot be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
• The End of Lifetime Limits: Under the ACA, insurance companies cannot place a lifetime limit on the amount of coverage an individual receives. Beginning in 2014, annual limits are banned as well.

For more information about the important rights and benefits the ACA provides for women and their families, see healthcare.gov’s new page on Women and the Affordable Care Act.

Click here for more information.

FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Removal of Menthol Cigarettes

Brian McCue — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:44:00 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) recently concluded that the “removal of menthol cigarettes from the marketplace would benefit public health in the United States.” This recommendation to the FDA is based on prevailing science surrounding menthol cigarettes. Although menthol cigarettes do not contain more toxins, they increase the number of young people who try cigarettes and the number of children who become regular smokers, increasing overall youth smoking. Menthol cigarettes have also been found to be more appealing to African-Americans and therefore contribute to higher smoking rates and decreased cessation among this population.

The TPSAC final report is set to go through a systematic review by experts from the FDA Center for Tobacco Products. They are to take into account menthol cigarettes’ risks and benefits to the population, effects on overall smoking initiation and cessation rates, achievability, and consequential effects that may arise, such as demand for contraband. The FDA intends to provide its first progress report on the review in about 90 days.

Partnership for Prevention supports the TPSAC’s recommendations and urges the FDA to take action to ban menthol to curb the uptake of smoking by youth and promote cessation among other high-risk groups. The tobacco industry’s incessant marketing of menthol cigarettes to youth, African Americans and other communities are threats to the public’s health. We are hopeful that the FDA will recognize the harmful impact of menthol cigarettes on the health of the nation and employ the committee’s advice.

Harmeet Singh
Tobacco Control Team

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Happy Anniversary to the Affordable Care Act

Brian McCue — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:49:00 GMT

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will celebrate its one year anniversary March 23, 2011. Signed into law last year, the ACA puts into place comprehensive health insurance reforms designed to lower health care costs by enhancing the quality of health for all Americans.

The ACA’s small business provisions focus on finding ways for business owners to reduce their heath care costs by ensuring their employees have access to quality, affordable health insurance.

Small business provisions include:

• Small Businesses with fewer than 25 full time employees may qualify for the business tax credit.
• Employer-based health plans that provide health insurance to retirees aged 55-65 can get financial help through the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program.
• Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny individuals with a pre-existing condition, who may now be eligible to join the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.
• Employees can receive recommended preventive services like mammograms and flu shots without any additional cost to the employee.
• Insurance companies are prohibited from capping the dollar amount of care an employee can receive in a lifetime, or dropping coverage due to a mistake on your application when you get sick.
• Insurance companies must spend at least 80% of premium dollars on healthcare.

Currently four million small business owners have been able to claim a tax credit up to 35% of their health insurance costs. But tax credits are not the only benefit for small business owners. By 2014, small businesses will be able to increase their buying power through state-based health insurance marketplaces. Employers will be able to identify health insurance plans that better meet their needs. The ACA has allowed small business employers to provide health benefits to their employees.

Throughout this week the Small Business Majority will host a series of roundtables and webinars designed to better understand what the ACA has meant to small businesses. Today, the Secretary of the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius will kick off the series in Ohio. The Secretary will join The Consortium of African American Organizations and the National Policy Director of the Small Business Majority.

Click here for more information.

Older Adults Lack Preventive Care

Brian McCue — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:02:00 GMT

Adults over the age of 65 are not getting the preventive services that they need, according to a report released by the Department of Health and Human Services on Monday. The report, which highlighted the work of Partnership for Prevention’s National Commission on Prevention Priorities to underscore the importance and benefits of high-value clinical services, found that preventive services, including vaccinations, tobacco cessation, and screening for cancer, diabetes, lipid disorders, and osteoporosis are underutilized. The report emphasizes that adults over 65 should be taking advantage of preventive services on a regular basis, and notes that many beneficiaries don’t know what services are covered by Medicare.

As a provision of the Affordable Care Act, certain USPSTF A and B recommended preventive services are covered without cost sharing by Medicare patients. In order to promote uptake of preventive services, including those services that are currently underutilized, Medicare has instituted an annual wellness visit. The wellness visit will allow Medicare beneficiaries access to preventive services on a regular and continued basis. It will be based on a detailed Health Risk Assessment (HRA), which allows patients and providers to create a personalized prevention plan. Partnership for Prevention, along with the CDC, has assisted the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the effort to design and implement the HRA by interviewing and convening a group of HRA experts.

Medicare coverage, along with outreach and education for the annual wellness visit, will help to bring awareness to the need for and use of preventive services for those over the age of 65.

Rebecca Doigan, MPH
Research Fellow and Program Associate
Click here for more information.

IOM Report Offers to Help Focus Healthy People 2020 Efforts to Improve Americans' Health

Brian McCue — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:32:00 GMT

Healthy People 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' master plan for improving the health of the American population over the next decade, covers 42 topics and nearly 600 objectives. A new report from the Institute of Medicine singles out 12 indicators as immediate, major health concerns that should be monitored and 24 objectives that warrant priority attention in the plan's implementation.

The report updates and expands on the 10 leading health indicators that served as priorities for Healthy People 2010. The recommendations on what should be the priorities for the latest version of this decadal health plan reflect the consensus of a committee comprising population health experts, epidemiologists, health statisticians, and others. Indicators provide yardsticks that health experts and policymakers can use to measure progress, and objectives set out clear, concrete goals for improvements.

The 12 recommended indicators include measures of access to care and quality of health care services, healthy behaviors, injury, physical and social environments, chronic disease, mental health, responsible sexual behavior, substance abuse, tobacco use, and healthy births.

The 24 objectives that the committee identified are:

•      Increase educational achievement of adolescents and young adults.
•      Increase the proportion of people with health insurance.
•      Increase the proportion of people with a usual primary care provider.
•      Increase the proportion of people who receive appropriate evidence-based clinical preventive services.
•      Reduce the overall cancer death rate.
•      Reduce the number of days the Air Quality Index exceeds 100.
•      Increase the proportion of children who are ready for school in all five domains of healthy development: physical development, social-emotional development, language, cognitive development, and approaches to learning.
•      Reduce pregnancy rates among adolescents.
•      Reduce central-line-associated bloodstream infections.
•      Improve the health literacy of the population.
•      Reduce coronary heart disease deaths.
•      Reduce the proportion of people with hypertension.
•      Increase the proportion of sexually active people who use condoms.
•      Reduce fatal and nonfatal injuries.
•      Reduce the proportion of people who experience major depressive episodes.
•      Reduce low birth weight and very low birth weight.
•      Reduce the proportion of obese children and adolescents.
•      Reduce consumption of calories from solid fats and added sugars by people age 2 and older.
•      Increase the proportion of adults who meet current federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity and for muscle-strengthening activity.
•      Reduce the proportion of people engaging in binge drinking of alcoholic beverages.
•      Reduce past-month use of illicit substances.
•      Increase the proportion of adults who get sufficient sleep.
•      Reduce tobacco use by adults.
•      Reduce the initiation of tobacco use among children, adolescents, and young adults.
Click here for more information.

Affordable Care Act Prevention Benefits Increasing Access, Lowering Costs for People with Medicare

Brian McCue — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:37:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention is pleased to learn that in only two months over 150,000 Medicare beneficiaries have received the annual wellness visit authorized in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This good news comes on the heels of an HHS report earlier this week indicating that those over 65 are not getting the preventive services they need. Click here for HHS news release.

The ACA requires a health risk assessment (HRA) for Medicare beneficiaries to assist in developing personalized prevention plans. Partnership has been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to develop guidance for implementing this important tool. Specifically, Partnership organized and helped lead a Public Forum meeting in response to a Federal Register Notice for public comments and submitted, with Thomson Reuters, a report that CDC will use to inform CMS on the development of guidance for the HRA.

For additional information about Partnership’s work on the annual wellness visit and HRA, please click here or contact Jason M.M. Spangler, MD, MPH, FACPM, Chief Medical Officer, Partnership for Prevention, jspangler@prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

Public Health Groups Call on Major League Baseball to Ban Tobacco…You Can Too

Brian McCue — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:59:00 GMT

As one of the most popular sports in the United States, baseball is a highly integral and influential part of American culture today. Unfortunately, tobacco companies thrive on Major League Baseball players, who are the most prominent spokesmen for smokeless tobacco. The very heroes that many people, especially young kids, look up to are conveying a dangerous message that promotes a behavior that leads to mouth diseases, cancers, and heart attacks.

Despite the sufferings of Babe Ruth and Tony Gwynn with cancer, MLB players, coaches, and managers continue to chew tobacco all season long. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that smokeless tobacco use among high school boys has increased by 36% in the past seven years.

In a January article in the Washington Post, Washington Nationals superstar pitcher Stephen Strasberg recalls how he began using smokeless tobacco as a teenager to better emulate the ballplayers he idolized. Strasberg is attempting to quit tobacco and his goal was to be tobacco free by spring training. Not only is Strasberg quitting because of the many health risks associated with tobacco use, but he also doesn't want kids who want to be like him to see him chewing.

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and nine supporting organizations are calling upon MLB and the Players Association to ban all tobacco use on the field and in the dugout in their upcoming contract negotiations. The contract to be signed will be in place for five seasons, so taking action now is crucial.

Tobacco use has already been banned in the minors, the NCAA and the National Hockey League. It is time that MLB does the same.

Join the Campaign’s efforts to Knock Tobacco Out of the Park by sending a message to Major League Baseball denouncing smokeless tobacco.

Harmeet Singh
Tobacco Control Team
Click here for more information.

Doctors Urge Indoor Tanning Ban for Minors, Smoking Linked to Infant Heart Defects named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:34:00 GMT

"Best and Worst News for Prevention” is based on a purposive sample consisting of expert staff members who each week choose to share their opinions on the best and worst news for prevention.

BEST
Doctors Urge Indoor Tanning Ban for Minors

U.S. tanning salons should close their doors to minors to protect them from skin cancer, a group of 60,000 pediatricians said Monday in a new policy statement. With the move, the American Academy of Pediatrics joins the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Academy of Dermatology and other groups that are already pushing for a ban. Since 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the WHO, has classified tanning beds as cancer-causing. Research shows people who start going to tanning salons before age 35 have a 75-percent increase in their chances of developing melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer.

WORST
Smoking Linked to Infant Heart Defects

A pregnant woman who smokes in her first trimester is much more likely to have an infant with a congenital heart defect, U.S. health officials say. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta found tobacco exposure is associated with a 20 percent to 70 percent increased risk of certain types of defects such as those that obstruct the flow of blood from the right side of the heart into the lungs and openings between the upper chambers of the heart.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

Partnership Presents Worksite Wellness Information at YMCA’s Conference Addressing Childhood Obesity

Brian McCue — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:48:00 GMT

Kathie Ruffatto, Partnership’s Program Associate for Worksite Health, co-presented with Bill Sells ,Vice President, Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association at the YMCA State Wide Pioneering Healthier Communities Conference today. The YMCA State Wide Pioneering Healthier Communities Initiative was launched in 2008 at local and state levels in six states and in 32 communities. This year Illinois, Michigan and Ohio have been selected to join the movement to create healthier communities through policy, systems and environmental change strategies.

Participants from each state were able to attend various break-out sessions on different topics. The focus of Kathie and Bill’s break out session was how employers and employees can increase their health through worksite wellness policies. Bill Sells discussed the importance of physical activity both in the workplace and the community and how the workplace can influence one another. He emphasized that creating a culture of health amongst the nation’s youth should be top priority for policymakers.
Kathie followed Bill’s presentation by highlighting the significance of good nutrition in workplaces and underscored the important role CEOs and top management play in creating environments conducive to good health. With new Leading by Example publications, Kathie was able to give specific examples of successful nutrition policies from the featured companies.

The presentations spurred a lively discussion on the importance of worksite wellness and how they could help support businesses within their communities. Questions ranged from transportation to program and/or policy implementation. All of these communities are or will begin to take great strides in removing barriers so that their citizens can be healthy. They are taking an important first step in understanding what it takes to create a culture of health.
Click here for more information.

Berries May Offer Protection Against Parkinson's Disease, Energy Drinks May Hurt Kids named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:07:00 GMT

People who eat foods rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, especially berries, may be protecting themselves from developing Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests. In addition to berries, flavonoids are found in a variety of foods such as apples, chocolate, and citrus fruits. These compounds have been touted as protective against some diseases because of their antioxidant effects, researchers say.

However, not all flavonoids are created equal. Only those known as anthocyanins, found in berries and other red/purplish fruits and vegetables, protected both men and women, according to the results of this study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health..

WORST
Energy Drinks May Hurt Kids

Energy drinks such as Red Bull, AMP and Rockstar have no health value and may even harm some children and teens, a new review finds. The increasingly popular, highly caffeinated drinks are especially risky for children with heart abnormalities, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other health or emotional problems, said Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, co-author of the study, published online Feb. 14 in the journal Pediatrics.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

Smokefree for Life – “Congratulations, Mr. President”

Brian McCue — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:06:00 GMT

The Associated Press (“Obama has kicked smoking habit, first lady says”) reported earlier this week that President Obama had “given up smoking.” The source for the report wasn’t the White House Press office but First Lady Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama confirmed that the President had successfully quit smoking and had been smokefree “almost a year.”

This is wonderful news for the Obama family and for millions of Americans who struggle to quit smoking and wonder if they will ever be successful.

The President’s success sends an unmistakable message of hope to those struggling to quit. Now children whose parents smoke can refer to the President’s example and his struggle. Quitting is possible…even if you are President of the United States.

In a recent meeting of Partnership’s ActionToQuit state grantees, the news from Mrs. Obama was greeted with much excitement and admiration. In a letter of congratulations to the President these state tobacco cessation leaders wrote: “Your experience in quitting smoking gives hope to millions who struggle with their (tobacco) addiction. Your example – that quitting … is possible with the right combination of therapy and family support will encourage others to make the effort and realize the success, even in one of the world’s most stressful jobs.”

The ActionToQuit members joined Partnership VP Diane Canova in urging the President to take pride in his accomplishment and “consider sharing your experience to help other smokers seek out the smoke-free pathway to a longer, healthier life.”

The President’s experience with quitting tobacco is all too human. Quitting takes time. His example demonstrates perseverance and should encourage all of us to redouble our efforts to expand access to tobacco cessation and encourage the types of social and family supports that increase smoking cessation success. The Affordable Care Act expands access to tobacco cessation through health insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid. The new Prevention and Public Health Fund will make financial assistance available to help communities promote health and wellness including preventing and reducing tobacco use. These are important tools that can accelerate progress towards a healthier, smokefree nation.

But let’s not underestimate the important motivational role that examples of successful quitters can play. We hope the President’s struggle and his success will motivate others to successfully quit.

Ripley Forbes
Director, Government Affairs
Click here for more information.

Breast-Feeding Counters Effects of Childhood Cancer, Smoking & Obesity Slowing US Life Expectancy named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:46:00 GMT

Breast-feeding may help reduce some long-term negative side effects of cancer treatment in women who survived childhood cancer, according to a new study.

The findings suggest that making women aware of the benefits of breast-feeding should be part of routine recommendations for a post-cancer healthy lifestyle, said Susan W. Ogg and colleagues from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

WORST
Smoking, Obesity Slowing U.S. Life Expectancy Gains: Report

Longevity isn't increasing as fast in the United States as it is in other developed countries, says a new report that points a finger at high rates of smoking and obesity.

For 25 years, U.S. life expectancy at age 50 has increased, but more slowly than in most of the other 21 countries studied, including Japan and Australia, notes the report from the National Research Council, an arm of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

USDA AND HHS Announce New Dietary Guidelines

Partnership for Prevention — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:10:00 GMT

Agriculture Secretary and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius today announced the release of the 7th edition of 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans at a press event held at George Washington University. The Dietary Guidelines come at critical juncture in America’s history since more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the country are overweight or obese.

The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are based off of sound scientific information and evidence on proper dietary habits that promote health, reduce the risk for chronic disease and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity. Through the 29 recommendations, The Dietary Guidelines advise individuals and families on how to achieve an overall healthy eating pattern.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans fall under two over arching concepts: maintaining calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight and focusing on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages. Twenty three Key Recommendations are for the general population and six additional Key Recommendations are meant for specific population groups.

The Dietary Guidelines also aid policymakers, education and health professionals, and health educators with designing and implementing nutrition-related programs. A table with important consumer behavior and strategies for implementing the Dietary Guidelines can be found in the appendix.

By adopting the Dietary Guidelines, HHS and USDA believe Americans will be able to live healthier lives strengthening America’s long-term economic competitiveness and overall productivity. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines is available at www.dietaryguidelines.gov.

For more information on dietary guidelines, see www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines and www.healthfinder.gov/prevention

Click here for more information.

Inequalities in Chlamydia Screening

Partnership for Prevention — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:21:00 GMT

Despite strong recommendations that all sexually active young women age 25 and younger receive a screening test every year for chlamydia, many do not. And, according to a recent study, there are differences in screening patterns across age, race/ethnicity, and insurance status. Black young women were 2.7 times as likely and Hispanic women were 9.7 times as likely to be screened for the disease as their white counterparts, with the rates being 65%, 72% and 45%, respectively. The lead author of the study suggests that the providers’ perceptions of race and ethnicity (and the perceived differences of chlamydia risk) may play a role in screening for chlamydia and account for these unequal screening rates.

The study also reports differences in screening rates across insurance type. Women with public and public pending insurance had greater odds of chlamydia testing, compared with women with private insurance. The consequences of untreated chlamydia infection include pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and pregnancy complications; thus, something must be done to improve the screening rates for eligible women, regardless of race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status.

To read last week’s report of the study in the LA Times click here.

Click here for more information.

NEW HHS Report Finds Lower Premiums for Families, Businesses Under Affordable Care Act

Brian McCue — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:25:00 GMT

Today, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius released a report highlighting the health insurance premium and out-of-pocket savings families and businesses can receive under the “Affordable Care Act” in 2014. Between 1999-2009 premiums more than doubled by rising over $7,500 for families that get their health insurance through an employer.

The report outlines several of the provisions the “Affordable Care Act” has and will implement. Provisions already in progress include new resources for states to improve their review of proposed health insurance premium rate increases and the eligibility for small businesses to receive tax credits that covers up to 35 percent of insurance costs of their employees.

The provisions for families that will be implemented disclose the importance of State-based Health Insurance Exchanges to middle-class families and tax credits that reduce cost sharing. Small businesses will also experience significant cost savings. By 2014, small businesses on average could save up to $350 per family policy and will be eligible for tax credits up to 50 percent of premiums. All businesses will likely see lower premiums of $2,000 per family by 2019.

Partnership for Prevention’s new Leading by Example The Value of Worksite Health Promotion to Small and Medium Sized Employers publication provides real examples of successful worksite health promotion programs for small to medium sized employers. The employers highlighted in this publication have taken the initiative to reduce health care costs by increasing the health of their employees. The publication can be downloaded at http://prevent.org/Initiatives/Leading-by-Example.aspx.

For more information please visit:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/01/20110128a.html
Click here for more information.

10,000 Steps a Day Leads to Better Insulin Sensitivity, Smoking Causes Damage in Minutes named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:59:00 GMT

Building up to 10,000 steps a day can help control weight and may reduce diabetes risk, suggests new research in the journal BMJ.

Of 592 middle-aged Australian adults, those who increased the number of steps they took during a five-year period and built up to 10,000 steps per day had a lower body mass index, less belly fat, and better insulin sensitivity than their counterparts who did not take as many steps daily during the same time period. Of 592 middle-aged Australian adults, those who increased the number of steps they took during a five-year period and built up to 10,000 steps per day had a lower body mass index, less belly fat, and better insulin sensitivity than their counterparts who did not take as many steps daily during the same time period..

WORST
Smoking 'causes damage in minutes', US experts claim

Smoking damages the body in minutes rather than years, according to research in the US. The report, published in Chemical Research in Toxicology, shows that chemicals which cause cancer form rapidly after smoking.

Scientists involved in the small-scale study described the results as a stark warning to people considering smoking. Anti-smoking charity Ash described the research as "chilling" and as a warning that it is never too early to quit.

The long term impact of smoking, from heart disease to a range of cancers, is well known. This study suggests the damage begins just moments after the first cigarette is smoked.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

KC Health Dept Hands Out Flu Shot Vouchers, Youths With STDs May Not Admit They Had Sex named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:06:00 GMT

If you are uninsured in the metropolitan area and still need a flu shot, the Kansas City Health Department has a deal for you: It is handing out 25,000 vouchers for free vaccinations at Walgreens pharmacies. Walgreens donated 350,000 of the vouchers to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The department is distributing them to Kansas City and more than a dozen other areas nationwide where there are disparities in vaccination rates and opportunities to address them.

“They’re targeting people who wouldn’t usually get a flu shot; they don’t have insurance or their insurance doesn’t cover it,” said the Health Department’s Jeff Hershberger. The department last week began handing out thousands of vouchers to community organizations.

WORST
Youths With STDs May Not Admit They Had Sex: Young People Not Always Truthful About Sexual Activity, So Routine STD Screenings Are Needed

Young people who say they’ve abstained from sexual intercourse may not be telling the whole truth, an important finding in the ongoing battle against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta examined data on 14,012 young adults in their early 20s, who completed a computer-assisted interviewing survey and provided a urine specimen aimed at detecting three common STDs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.

More than 10% of the young people found to have at least one of the STDs had reported not having penile/vaginal sexual intercourse in the past 12 months. This suggests that routine screening of STDs may be a better way to reduce transmission of diseases.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

Partnership Announces 2011 ActionToQuit Grantees

Brian McCue — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:06:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention has awarded three new ActionToQuit State Grants to Georgia, Iowa and Michigan for the implementation of innovative strategies to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments. Funds are to be used primarily for the development of state alliances/summit meetings and the creation of strategic plans. The projects will range from focusing on employer groups and health care systems to increasing cessation coverage for Medicaid recipients.

The six original ActionToQuit grantees - Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New England, New York and Virginia – have also received funds to continue efforts made in 2010. Funds will be used to the implement the state strategic plans developed during the first year of the program.

With funding from the Pfizer Foundation, Partnership hopes to dramatically increase access to and use of proven tobacco cessation treatments through this grant program. The focus of the ActionToQuit State Grants is system and policy change in tobacco cessation which will be accomplished through the strengthening of state level alliances for tobacco cessation. These alliances will chart a course for increasing coverage for these services in States, strengthen quitlines, work with health systems/employers/insurers, and promote the importance of tobacco cessation. As a result, utilization of these treatments will increase and tobacco use will decline.

To learn more about the ActionToQuit state grant program and the 2011 projects, please visit http://actiontoquit.org/stateprojects/.
Click here for more information.

Partnership Gives Comments to U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Brian McCue — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:56:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention is pleased to submit these comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in regard to required textual warnings and accompanying graphics to be displayed on cigarette packages and in cigarette advertisements.

Partnership commends the FDA on the development of the new graphic health warnings. We urge the FDA to proceed with the implementation of the warnings without delay. The tobacco industry will inevitably work to impede and overturn the plans for the new health warnings on cigarette packages and advertisements, to take effect 15 months after issuance of this final rule. However, it is crucial that the FDA stay the course. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 46 million people (aged 18 years and older) in the United States currently smoke cigarettes. Each day in the U.S., approximately 3,450 young people between 12 and 17 years of age smoke their first cigarette, and an estimated 850 youth become daily cigarette smokers. These statistics make it clear that more needs to be done to reduce the initiation of tobacco use and the prompt enforcement of this Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act requirement will be a step in the right direction. These graphic health warnings will not only help young people to never start smoking, but also be beneficial in helping adults to quit.

Partnership for Prevention also strongly supports that 1-800-QUITNOW be required on all cigarette packages as a way to offer help to smokers who want to quit. A report released by the North American Quitline Consortium in 2010 showed that the total number of tobacco users accessing quitline services in FY 2009 was 515,000 (representing 1.2 percent of smokers), an increase of 129.7% over the FY 2005 level of 224,000. Quitlines are being used now more than ever so including the national access number on cigarette packages would be a simple and practical way to aid smokers who want to quit.

We thank you for the opportunity to comment on the cigarette warning labels and for your consideration of our views. Please contact David Zauche, Managing Senior Fellow & Senior Program Officer, at (202) 375-7807 or dzauche@prevent.org for further information or assistance.

Click here for more information.

CDC Issues Updated STD Treatment Guidelines

Brian McCue — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:53:00 GMT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines—2010. The guidelines appear in the December 17, 2010 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Recommendations and Reports.

The Guidelines, which were previously issued in 2006, are based on newly available evidence and serve as a source of clinical guidance and advise health care providers on the most effective treatment regimens, screening procedures, and prevention and vaccination strategies for STDs. The new guidelines include expanded STD prevention recommendations, including HPV vaccination; revised guidance on the diagnostic evaluation and management of syphilis; revised gonorrhea treatment regimens; and other topics.

Over 19 million cases of STDs occur in the United States each year, with a disproportionate share among young people and racial and ethnic minority populations. The estimated annual direct medical costs of treating STDs and their sequelae are $16.4 billion. Left untreated, STDs can cause serious health problems ranging from infertility to increased risk of HIV infection. Partnership for Prevention is working through the National Chlamydia Coalition (NCC) to address the continued high burden of chlamydia infection, especially among women age 25 and under. For more information on the NCC, visit www.prevent.org/ncc.

The Guidelines are available at www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/. For more information, contact 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) or e-mail cdcinfo@cdc.gov.

Susan Maloney, MPH
Managing Senior Fellow and Senior Program Officer
Click here for more information.

Partnership Announces Continuation Grants for ActionToQuit State Projects

Brian McCue — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 10:40:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention is pleased to announce 2011 funds for the current ActionToQuit state grantees. Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New England, New York and Virginia will receive $15,000 for the continuation of efforts made in 2010 to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments through policy and system change. Funds are to be used primarily for the implementation of the state strategic plans developed during the first year of the program.

Next month, Partnership will also award a second round of ActionToQuit grants to three new states. With generous funding from Pfizer Inc. and the Pfizer Foundation, Partnership for Prevention is working to dramatically increase access to and use of proven tobacco cessation treatments through this grant program. This will be accomplished through strengthening of state level alliances for tobacco cessation. These alliances will chart a course for increasing coverage for these services in States, strengthen quitlines, work with health systems/employers/insurers, and promote the importance of tobacco cessation. As a result, utilization of these treatments will increase and tobacco use will decline.

To learn more about the ActionToQuit state grant program and the 2010 projects, please visit http://actiontoquit.org/stateprojects/.

Brandi Robinson
Tobacco Control Program Associate

Click here for more information.

NJ National Guard model for mental health care, Prescriptions for painkillers, stimulants soaring among youth named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:36:00 GMT

During a visit to Trenton in August, the nation's top military officer turned to his hosts in the New Jersey Army National Guard, noting the group's success in monitoring and treating the mental well-being of the state's citizen-soldiers. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, then asked for more information. It wasn't an idle inquiry. At a time when suicides in the military have soared to record levels, New Jersey is one of just six states in which no Guard members have taken their own lives since 2002. While the Department of Defense mandates some mental health programs, New Jersey has gone further, marshaling state resources and assembling a network of private practitioners to treat distressed Guard members or their family members. The state's primary tool is a 24-hour helpline that's both confidential and independent of the military. Operated by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and funded by the state, the helpline is staffed by veterans and therapists. They counsel soldiers and their relatives, make referrals for treatment and, in the most critical cases, summon help. They also make callers aware of resources available to them, including Department of Veterans Affairs programs, family assistance centers and individuals who can help process claims with the VA.

The New Jersey Guard has deployed more than 11,000 soldiers since 2002, with the biggest mobilization -- just over 2,800 soldiers -- spanning 2008 and 2009. Shortly after that contingent returned, calls to the helpline jumped 20 percent, said Cherie Castellano, the line's director. More recently, she said, therapists fielded two consecutive calls from suicidal veterans.

WORST
Prescriptions for Stimulants, Painkillers Soaring Among Youth

The number of prescriptions for controlled medications such as opioids and stimulants has nearly doubled in adolescents and young adults since 1994. The trend, reported in the December issue of Pediatrics, mirrors a similar increase in misuse of these drugs, with adolescents and young adults' illicit use of prescription drugs now outstripping all other illicit drug use except marijuana. The researchers couldn't attribute the increased misuse directly to more prescriptions, but did urge both physicians and patients to be vigilant when considering the use of drugs such as Oxycontin or Ritalin.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

NCC Member Named Huffington Post’s “Greatest Person of the Day”

Brian McCue — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:12:00 GMT

National Chlamydia Coalition (NCC) member, Dr. Alwyn Cohall has been named today’s Huffington Post’s Greatest Person of the Day. Dr. Cohall is a pediatrician who has dedicated his career to improving the health and lives of the children in Harlem. He is a Professor of Clinical Public Health and Pediatrics at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Cohall represents the American Academy of Pediatrics on the NCC and is an active participant in the public awareness committee. Through the Harlem Health Promotion Center and Project STAY, Dr. Cohall is tackling many of the major health problems faced by his community's youth. His work and dedication is truly an inspiration to us all. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Dr. Cohall!

Mara Leff
NCC Intern
Partnership for Prevention
Click here for more information.

The NCC Makes Its Facebook Debut

Brian McCue — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:37:00 GMT

The National Chlamydia Coalition (NCC) recently launched its new Facebook page. The page features the coalition’s mission and goals and links to NCC resources. It will be updated with news and interesting information on chlamydia, preventive services, other STDs, adolescent health, and related topics. Check out the latest post on a creative chlamydia screening and surveillance initiative in the United Kingdom. To support the NCC on Facebook simply visit our page and click the “like” button. Don’t forget to share it with your friends and colleagues.
Click here for more information.

Healthy People 2020

Brian McCue — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:26:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention was an invited guest at the December 2 launch of Healthy People 2020, with both Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, MBA, Chair, Partnership for Prevention, who also serves as Chair of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 and Catherine M. Baase, MD, Global Medical Director, Dow Chemical and Secretary of the Board of Directors, making remarks.

Healthy People 2020, the ambitious agenda for improving the nation’s health, are the result of a multiyear process that reflects input from a diverse group of individuals and organizations. Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. For decades, Healthy People has established benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to:

Encourage collaborations across sectors.
Guide individuals toward making informed health decisions.
Measure the impact of prevention activities.

Healthy People 2020 strives to:

Identify nationwide health improvement priorities.
Increase public awareness and understanding of the determinants of health, disease, and disability and the opportunities for progress.
Provide measurable objectives and goals that are applicable at the national, State, and local levels.
Engage multiple sectors to take actions to strengthen policies and improve practices that are driven by the best available evidence and knowledge.
Identify critical research, evaluation, and data collection needs.

For further information, please visit http://healthypeople.gov/2020/ where users can tailor information to their needs and explore evidence-based resources for implementation.
Click here for more information.

Progress made in treating leukemia/lymphoma, Diabetes will hit half of US by 2020 named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 17:03:00 GMT

Clinicians have made remarkable advances in treating blood cancers with bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants in recent years, significantly reducing the risk of treatment-related complications and death, a new study shows.

Between the early 1990s and 2007, there was a 41 percent drop in the overall risk of death in an analysis of more than 2,500 patients treated at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, a leader in the field of blood cancers and other malignancies

WORST
Diabetes Epidemic Will Hit Half of U.S. by 2020

More than half of all Americans may develop diabetes or prediabetes by 2020, unless prevention strategies aimed at weight loss and increased physical activity are widely implemented, according to a new analysis.

These efforts could in theory also save about $250 billion in health care costs in the next 10 years, suggests the analysis published by UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, a specialized center within UnitedHealth that focuses on health care reform issues.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

Secondhand Smoke Continues to Take a Toll Worldwide

Partnership for Prevention — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:57:00 GMT

The new report released from the World Health Organization estimates the number of people who die worldwide from secondhand smoke each year at 600,000. The report combined data from 192 countries and was the first to estimate the worldwide burden of disease and death from tobacco. More than half of the deaths are from heart disease, followed by deaths from cancer, lung infections, asthma and other illnesses. The worst part about this astonishing statistic is that children under the age of five account for 28% of these deaths. Most of these children are dying in Africa and Asia where there is less access to vital public health services and advanced medical care.

So, what are countries doing to battle secondhand smoke? More than 40 countries have enacted some kind of smoking ban. In the U.S., 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Northern Mariana Islands have smoke-free laws that protect 79% of the population.

Sounds good, right? Well, there is definitely room for improvement. Many of the smoke-free laws are limited and worldwide, only 7% of the population is protected by these laws. Studies have shown that smoke-free laws encourage smokers to quit and rates of heart attacks, asthma and other smoking-related illnesses decline within the first year after the bans are implemented.

Partnership for Prevention recognizes the importance of smoking bans in decreasing morbidity and mortality and the role they play in encouraging smokers to quit. Partnership’s ActionToQuit initiative works to advance policies that ensure all American have access to comprehensive tobacco cessation treatments to further assist people in stopping smoking and help them and others lead healthier lives.

Brandi Robinson

Tobacco Control Program Associate

Click here for more information.

Be Thankful for…

Brian McCue — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:37:00 GMT

...antibiotics and STD screening.

This week CDC released its annual sexually transmitted diseases surveillance report, which showed that chlamydia and syphilis rates in the U.S. continued to rise in 2009. However, gonorrhea reached its lowest level in almost 70 years. All three STDs can be easily treated with antibiotics but can have serious consequences, including infertility and organ damage, if left untreated.

According to the report, chlamydia rates increased by 3% last year, with 409 cases per 100,000 people—representing an all-time high for reported chlamydia infections. The rate increased by almost 20% since 2006. On a positive note, CDC believes that the increase is likely attributed to expanded screening, and not an increase in the disease.

Unfortunately, large disparities still exist among racial and ethnic minority groups, with young African Americans baring a large burden of the disease.

STD screening can help detect disease early and, combined with treatment, is an effective way to protect a person’s health and reduce transmission to partners. One of the continuing problems is that less than half of the people who should be screened for STDs, do so. To help improve screening, as well as prevention and treatment of chlamydia, Partnership for Prevention convenes and leads the National Chlamydia Coalition, whose mission is to reduce the rates of Chlamydia and its harmful effects among sexually active adolescent and young adults.

Click here for more information.

Great American Smokeout Event, Number of Uninsured Rises named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:09:00 GMT

Get ready, get set, quit! Thursday marks the annual Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, which urges all smokers to lay off the habit for at least 24 hours. There have been dramatic changes in attitudes about smoking and a large decrease in smoking rates since the Smokeout was first held in 1977. The annual event includes local and nationwide events meant to encourage smokers to quit for at least one day in the hope that they may decide to permanently kick the habit. The Smokeout has helped focus attention on the dangers of tobacco use and contributed to a "cultural revolution" in tobacco control, says the American Cancer Society. Between 1978 and 2009, the percentage of adults who smoke in the United States fell from 34 percent to 21 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

WORST
Number of Uninsured Rises, Report Says

The number of uninsured adults in the United States continues to rise, with one in four adults under 65 reporting they were without health insurance at some point in the last year, according to a recent report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 50 million adults said they were uninsured for at least some time. The report is based on a survey conducted between January and March.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

6 Pillars of Successful Worksite Wellness Programs

Brian McCue — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:52:00 GMT

Worksite wellness programs can be successful if implemented and executed correctly, a new study suggests. The study identifies six pillars that create a successful, strategically integrated wellness program regardless of an organizations size that include topics like multilevel leadership, alignment, and communication. The study examined 10 organizations across a variety of industries whose wellness programs have systemically achieved measurable results.

Worksite wellness programs have a history of being effective at increasing employee health while decreasing health care cost. Since 1995, Johnson & Johnson’s employee wellness program has cumulatively saved the company $250 million on health care, and from 2002-2008 the return was $2.71 for every dollar the company spent. Other organizations have had similar results with their worksite wellness programs. MD Anderson Cancer Center within the last 6 years was able to decrease lost works days by 80%, and the software firm SAS Institute was able to lower voluntary attrition to just 4% with their worksite wellness program.

Partnership for Prevention also recognizes the importance of worksite wellness programs with our Leading by Example initiative. The initiative includes publications designed to increase CEOs and CFOs understanding of the importance of worksite wellness programs by highlighting companies with exemplary comprehensive worksite wellness programs. Two new publications each featuring 16 companies will be released in the upcoming months.

For more information on the study please click here.

Katherine Ruffatto
Worksite Health Program Associate
Click here for more information.

FDA Cig Pack Graphic Warning Labels, Alarming Suicide Rate Among Soldiers named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:29:00 GMT

A series of gruesome pictures depicting emaciated lung cancer patients, a dead body in a morgue, a baby confined to a respirator (presumably the result of secondhand smoke) and other consequences of smoking that will appear on the outside of cigarette packages will hopefully shock people into quitting the habit or not starting in the first place, U.S. officials announced Wednesday, November 10.

WORST
Florida researcher looks for answers to alarming suicide rate among soldiers

American soldiers are killing themselves at the highest rate since the U.S. Military started keeping records and the trend is getting worse.

Military leaders say they are desperate to take action on the problem so the federal government is awarding a $17 million grant to Florida State and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center for a suicide prevention program.

FSU's Professor Thomas Joiner is an internationally renowned expert on suicide who will help lead the military's effort to prevent suicides.

Joiner says there's a new trend of suicide in the military. The suicide rate among soldiers used to be lower than the general population. Joiner says now it's higher at an average of 12.5 suicides per 100,000 soldiers.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

FDA Invites Comments on New Graphic Warnings on Cigarette Packages

Brian McCue — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:47:00 GMT

Wow….New graphic cigarette health warnings … FDA wants to know what you think.

At a press conference this morning (November 10, 2010) Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius helped unveil a “comprehensive tobacco control strategy that includes proposed new bolder health warnings on cigarettes and advertisements. In 2009 President Obama signed into law the “Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act” (Public Law 111-31) which required that the Food and Drug Administration add “nine new larger and more noticeable textual warning statements and color graphic images depicting the negative health consequences of smoking.” The Notice of Proposed Rule Making includes 36 proposed images that are a remarkable and long overdue improvements over the warnings Congress required on cigarette packages and advertising ,back in 1984. The FDA is also conducting an extensive 18,000 person consumer test of the proposed graphic images to help identify the nine that will most effectively help current smokers quit and discourage potential new smokers from starting. The results of the FDA’s consumer research will also be released shortly and public comment will be solicited.

The current deadline for public comment on the proposed 36 images is January 9, 2011. The wording of the nine warnings was specified by the Congress when it enacted Public Law 111-31. These warnings include:

‘‘WARNING: Cigarettes are addictive."
‘‘WARNING: Tobacco smoke can harm your children."
‘‘WARNING: Cigarettes cause fatal lung disease."
‘‘WARNING: Cigarettes cause cancer."
‘‘WARNING: Cigarettes cause strokes and heart disease."
‘‘WARNING: Smoking during pregnancy can harm your baby."
‘‘WARNING: Smoking can kill you."
‘‘WARNING: Tobacco smoke causes fatal lung disease in nonsmokers."
‘‘WARNING: Quitting smoking now greatly reduces serious risks to your health."

The challenge for the FDA is to identify graphic images that best amplify the statutorily mandated wording of the cigarette warnings. Federal law also requires that the warnings and graphic images make up the top 50 percent of the front and back of cigarette packages.

FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said it best: “When the rule takes effect, the health consequences of smoking will be obvious every time someone picks up a pack of cigarettes. This is a concrete example of how FDA’s new responsibilities for tobacco product regulation can benefit the public’s health.

So….take a few minutes to check out the FDA’s proposed new labels.

If you have family and friends who smoke…show them the new labels… get their advice and then tell the FDA.

The FDA has given us all an opportunity to play an important role, individually and collectively, in fighting the nation’s leading cause of premature death and preventable illness. Stronger health warnings, especially if they are accompanied by the 1 800 QUIT NOW cessation number, can help more smokers get access to effective cessation medications and discourage thousands of young people from striking the first match of what can become a lifelong, life threatening addiction.

Lets get to work. Tell the FDA what you think.

E Ripley Forbes
Director, Government Affairs

Click here for more information.

Drinking Beet Juice May Fight Dementia, Higher-Income Parents Forgoing Kids' Vaccinations named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:44:00 GMT

Drinking beet juice increases blood flow to the brain in older people, a finding that suggests the dark red vegetable may fight the progression of dementia, a new study shows.

Beet roots contain high concentrations of nitrates, which are converted into nitrites by bacteria in the mouth. And nitrites help open blood vessels in the body, increasing blood flow and oxygen to places lacking in oxygen.

WORST
Many Higher-Income Parents Forgoing Kids' Vaccinations: Report

Vaccination rates for children insured by commercial plans dropped almost four percentage points between 2008 and 2009, even though the rate of children on Medicaid getting vaccinated is rising.

"Rates had been gradually improving in the commercial plans. This was the first time we'd seen a drop -- and it was a pretty big drop," said Sarah Thomas, vice president of public policy and communication for the National Committee for Quality Assurance, which recently released its annual State of Health Care Quality report.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

ActionToQuit Tobacco Cessation Summit in Nevada

Brian McCue — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 09:57:00 GMT

The Nevada ActionToQuit state summit was held in Reno on October 21, 2010. Led by the American Lung Association in Nevada, the summit brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to develop a state plan to reduce tobacco prevalence in Nevada by improving access to cessation treatments.

The summit opened with the State Health Officer as the keynote speaker to set the tone for the event. As noted by the keynote and other presenters, Nevada has a smoking prevalence rate of 21.5%. And of those smokers surveyed, 75% of them wish to quit. For every dollar Nevada spends on providing tobacco cessation treatments, it has an average potential return on investment of $1.31.

Panelists at the summit were all asked the following questions to help facilitate the formation of priority topics and inform the group strategic planning: 1) Please describe how your company or organization provides tobacco cessation services; 2) What impact has tobacco cessation had on your company, organization, or community?; 3) What are the barriers to people accessing tobacco cessation services?; 4) What other actions need to be taken to increase cessation in Nevada?; and 5) What do you think should be our priorities as we develop a statewide cessation plan for Nevada?

Following the presentations, participants at the summit prioritized areas and voted for the following workgroup topics: youth access, closing gaps in access, economic impact, educating officials, and expanding awareness of cessation. The 66 attendees choose which workgroup they wanted to participate in for the remainder of the afternoon and began to develop recommendations for the statewide plan, which will be available early in the new year.

The Nevada summit was a great first step to engage stakeholders in leading the way in increasing access to tobacco cessation treatment and ultimately decreasing tobacco use across the state.
Click here for more information.

Partnership Expresses Serious Concern that NIH Reorganization Could Endanger Tobacco Research

Brian McCue — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:03:00 GMT

Earlier this week leaders from six of the nation’s most respected public health organizations expressed concerns about a recommendation to “move the majority of all tobacco related research at the NIH into a proposed addiction institute…” In a letter to NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins, the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, LEGACY and Partnership for Prevention stressed that the proposed move “poses considerable risks to the ongoing efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services to reduce tobacco use.”

The November 2nd letter was sent in response to recommendations of the NIH’s Scientific Management Review Board which recommended the merger of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Historically, leadership on tobacco research has been championed by the National Cancer Institute and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Additionally, neither NIAAA nor NIDA have a significant tobacco research portfolio. The proposed merger of NIAAA and NIDA did not specifically assess the scientific value of transferring the tobacco research portfolios that have driven much of the our nation’s successful policy work and cessation advances over the past thirty years. The letter notes that transfer of tobacco research from NCI and NHLBI to a new entity generally unfamiliar with tobacco science will “create uncertainly about future funding for tobacco-related research…(i)t would also convey the impression … that the NIH considers the tobacco problem solved or that it is now less important to NIH.”

These leaders make a thoughtful and compelling case that removal of tobacco research from the protection and guidance of NCI and NHLBI is premature. In the absence of carefully study, such a move potentially endangers the nation’s continued progress to reduce tobacco use and help the Food and Drug Administration develop and execute a research agenda that will support its life saving regulatory mandates. This issue could have a profoundly negative impact on the quality and relevance of the excellent tobacco work currently underway in NIH’s flagship institutes.

The letter urges Dr. Collins to “postpone any action to include tobacco-related research in the proposed new institute” and to “initiate a review of (NIH’s) current tobacco research portfolio and determine what additional research is necessary to fully support the Administration’s efforts to reduce tobacco use. Such a review would also help inform your decision about whether a reorganization of tobacco research is appropriate.”

There is an old wisdom ... “if it ain’t broke…don’t fix it.” Tobacco continues to represent the nation’s leading cause of premature death and preventable illness. We have made remarkable progress in the decades since Surgeon General Luther Terry alerted the nation to the adverse health effects of smoking. Now is not the time to endanger continued progress in the vital public health work that NCI and NHLBI led tobacco research has supported over the decades. Requesting a thorough study of this issue seems a reasonable course of action for Dr. Collins to endorse.

E Ripley Forbes
Director, Government Affairs
Click here for more information.

ActionToQuit Tobacco Cessation Summit in Colorado

Brian McCue — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:14:00 GMT

In October, Partnership for Prevention sponsored Colorado’s ActionToQuit tobacco cessation summit in Denver. The event brought together organization, agencies, advocates, and leaders to discuss tobacco cessation policy strategies. The state-level summit was convened by the Colorado Tobacco Education and Prevention Alliance, which received a grant from Partnership for Prevention to develop a state action plan for tobacco cessation.

Colorado’s target audience is the 700,000 uninsured persons in the state, whose collective smoking rate is 32%, compared to 18% in the general population. At the summit, this new alliance of organizations learned about current tobacco cessation coverage gaps and shortly will create a comprehensive strategic plan for the state’s uninsured. Colorado has made great strides in smoke-free air, tobacco tax, and insurance coverage for privately insured and Medicaid populations – assisting the uninsured population is now the top priority to drive down smoking prevalence.

The uninsured in Colorado are similar to those nationwide – higher smoking rates, more in-home smoking, less access to treatment, and less success at quitting. Two thirds of the adult smokers in Colorado are in the lower socioeconomic strata. The touch points for the uninsured are emergency departments, federally qualified health clinics, and other safety net clinics, but cessation treatment is not likely to be offered through these channels, at present. Smoking related health costs for the state total $1.3 billion annually, including $300 million in Medicaid costs.

The Colorado team has held key informant interviews and roundtable meetings in addition to the state summit. The target groups involved are:

Medical providers/professionals serving the uninsured
Mental health and substance abuse treatment providers and professionals
Advocacy/policy organizations and funders serving the uninsured
Cessation/addiction experts
Media professionals with knowledge of reaching low income populations (focus on increasing utilization)
Uninsured Coloradans
Health plans
Colorado health systems experts
Workforce/employee/employer organizations serving/employing the uninsured

This ActionToQuit summit was an excellent first step toward the alliance’s goal of making Colorado the best state in the USA for tobacco cessation treatment.

Click here for more information.

Kids benefit from strength training, Preschoolers get too much screen time named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:31:00 GMT

While strength training was once doubted to benefit kids, a new research review confirms that children and teenagers can boost their muscle strength with regular workouts.

The findings, researchers say, support recent recommendations from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) that kids strength-train two to three times a week -- though only under professional supervision. In years past, there were concerns that school-age children and teenagers might run a high risk of injuring themselves through strength training, which can be performed using free weights, exercise machines, elastic bands or the body's own resistance.

WORST
U.S. Preschoolers Getting Too Much Screen Time: Combined hours between home and day care often exceed recommended 2-hour daily limit

Two-thirds of preschoolers in the United States are exposed to more than the maximum two hours per day of screen time from television, computers, video games and DVDs recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, a new study has found.

Researchers from Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington looked at the daily screen time of nearly 9,000 preschool-age children included in the national Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, an observational study of more than 10,000 children born in 2001.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

ActionToQuit Tobacco Cessation Summit in New England

Brian McCue — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:41:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention’s ActionToQuit summit for the New England area was held on October 19 in Framingham, Massachusetts. The event brought together organizational representatives, leaders, and advocates from six states to learn about and discuss tobacco cessation policy strategies. The summit was convened by the American Lung Association, which received a grant from Partnership for Prevention to develop an action plan for tobacco cessation in New England.

David Zauche, Senior Program Officer at Partnership for Prevention, presented on the ActionToQuit Program and addressed the impact of health reform on tobacco cessation policies. He emphasized the need to strengthen cessation coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries. As of 2010, federal health reform mandates that all pregnant women insured under Medicaid be eligible for cessation treatment at no cost to them. While this is a step forward, Partnership for Prevention advocates that this benefit be extended to all Medicaid subscribers, providing barrier free access to comprehensive treatments for all tobacco users.

The focus of this summit was the Massachusetts Medicaid benefit, which the other five New England states will attempt to replicate. Lois Keithly, Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program, and Ayesha Cammaerts, formerly of MassHealth’s Office of Clinical Affairs, presented information on the outstanding Massachusetts initiative, which shed light on several previously unanswered questions:

• If a tobacco cessation benefit is offered and promoted heavily, will a large number Medicaid subscribers use it?
• If they use the benefit, will a large number quit smoking?
• If this occurs, can there be positive short term benefits as well as long term?

The results were remarkable. Over a thirty month period 75,000 Medicaid subscribers in Massachusetts used the tobacco cessation benefit, and 33,000 quit smoking. The smoking rate for this population dropped from 38% to 28%, representing a 26% decrease. Additionally, significant decreases were seen in hospitalization rates for heart disease.

The key to the success of this program, at least in great measure, was the heavy statewide promotion of the benefit and aggressive encouragement of smokers to use it. Various media were used to reach the Medicaid population: television, radio and transit ads ran for over a year and there was direct education campaign to health care providers and medical societies. Consumer awareness of the cessation benefit in the Medicaid population reached 75%.

While the surprising success of the Massachusetts experience is unique, many states will begin to replicate the program in the near future. At this summit, teams of advocates from the other five New England states are already busy organizing their own state summits, action plans, and advocacy campaigns.
Click here for more information.

Three habits cut breast cancer risk, kids with elevated blood pressure named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Prevent.org — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:41:00 GMT

Women who maintain certain "breast-healthy" habits can lower their risk of breast cancer, even if a close relative has had the disease, a new study finds. Engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all, was shown in a large study to help protect against breast cancer in postmenopausal women, the researchers said.

WORST
Kids and Elevated Blood Pressure

Almost 20 percent of fifth graders in West Virginia may have elevated blood pressure, according to new research from an ongoing study identifying heart disease risk factors. The CARDIAC project was started because West Virginia has a significantly higher age-adjusted rate of death from heart disease than the national average -- 21 percent higher, according to Minor's presentation.

Risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, have their roots in childhood, but there are no universal population-based screenings for blood pressure levels in children.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

Surgery checklist saves lives, no decrease in sodium intake named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:40:00 GMT

Answering such basic questions from surgery checklists — and involving everyone as a team, even patients — saved lives in Veterans Affairs hospitals, according to one of the most rigorous studies of patient safety in the operating room.

Surgery deaths dropped 18 percent on average over three years in the 74 VA hospitals that used the strategy during the study. Surgery team members all created checklists and discussed them in briefings before, during and after surgery. That's a somewhat novel concept in a setting where the surgeon has traditionally called all the shots.

WORST
Americans Still Reaching for the Salt Shaker

Despite constant pleas by public health experts to hold the salt, the sodium intake of the U.S. population hasn't decreased over the past 46 years, according to a new review.

Most of us eat a lot more sodium than is recommended, says researcher Adam Bernstein, MD, ScD, a research fellow in the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.
Click here for more information.

Aspirin Use for Primary Prevention Shows Big Savings

Brian McCue — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:11:00 GMT

A new study printed in Current Medical Research and Opinion found that aspirin use for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) could produce overall savings of $79.6 million dollars over 10 years for a base population of 1 million patients , while use for secondary prevention shows a savings of $32.2 million. Aspirin use for primary prevention was also shown to save $29 million in out of pocket costs, which is an immediate benefit for patients.

The study measured cost savings associated with aspirin use for the prevention of CVD. Savings are seen if this preventive service was increased to reflect current guidelines with the greatest savings for primary prevention (i.e. in those patients without CVD, but at risk). Current clinical guidelines recommend aspirin use for the primary prevention of heart disease in men and stroke in women.

In addition to producing millions of dollars in savings, the study reported that aspirin use for primary prevention of CVD would prevent 1273 heart attacks, 2184 angina events, and 565 ischemic strokes in a base population of 1 million patients. Aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD is not just financially valuable – it saves lives.

Partnership for Prevention supports aspirin use for the primary prevention of heart disease and stroke. Partnership convenes the Aspirin Task Force (ATF), a multidisciplinary group of experts committed to promoting aspirin use for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The ATF supports the USPSTF recommendations, and encourages men and women to speak to their health care provider to decide if aspirin use is right for them.

In addition to the aspirin initiative, Partnership’s National Commission on Prevention Priorities (NCPP) has identified aspirin use for primary prevention as one of the highest value clinical preventive services. In fact, the NCPP reports that if 90% of those who were recommendation to use aspirin did use aspirin, 45,000 lives per year would be saved.

This study, along with Partnership’s initiatives, shows the importance of aspirin use for the primary prevention of heart disease and stroke. In particular, the study reinforces the value of utilizing preventive services to benefit our healthcare system and society as a whole.
Click here for more information.

Celebrating Safe Teen Drivers

Brian McCue — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:22:00 GMT

This week – October 17-23 – has been designated as National Teen Driver Safety Week. And, we have a good reason to celebrate – today’s edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report states that in 2009 there were approximately 500 fewer teen deaths in motor vehicle crashes. During 2004-2008, the percentage of drivers aged 16-17 years involved in fatal crashes decreased by 36%.
However, we can’t be too joyful. In 2009, about 3,000 teens died in motor vehicle crashes – still the leading cause of death for teens.

The numbers do illustrate the value of teen driver safety programs, graduated driver licensing and more involved parents. Evaluations of the graduated driver license programs show a 20-40 percent reduction in crash risk for the youngest drivers.

The watch word – keep it up! The programs and policies in place are working. Communities need to continue to proactively enforce minimum drinking age laws, blood alcohol levels, and safety belt laws. Ongoing evaluation of value of anti-texting laws needs to occur as well to assess impact of distracting driving on teen motor vehicle crashes.

Diane Canova
VP, Policy & Programs
Partnership for Prevention

Click here for more information.

Mobile Health Management

Brian McCue — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:45:00 GMT

Think about how often you use your mobile phone and how many “apps” you’ve downloaded. Folks promoting health and wellness believe this could be a good way to engage people and to encourage healthy living. But, what do mobile phone users think? Not too much, judging by a recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Only 9 percent of mobile phone users indicated that they use phone apps to help track or manage their health.

Despite low usage now, public health officials remain optimistic that mobile technology is a good way to reach young people, as well as African Americans and Latinos. Like pedometers, scales and journals, mobile apps can assist in tracking food intake, exercise or smoking cessation. They can also provide reminders for medication usage and doctor’s visits. As more mobile applications become available, it will be interesting to see how these tools can assist health decision-making.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/10/20/130703545/for-many-of-us-health-apps-are-just-not-part-of-our-routine

Diane Canova
VP, Policy & Programs
Partnership for Prevention

Click here for more information.

ActionToQuit Cessation Summit in Orlando, Florida

Brian McCue — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:58:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention’s fourth ActionToQuit state summit was held on October 14 in Orlando, Florida. Led by the American Lung Association in Florida, the event brought together 65 organizational representatives, leaders, and advocates committed to saving lives and improving health through tobacco cessation at the one of the newest facilities in Orlando, the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Center at Lake Nona. The Orlando event was unique in that about 190 participants from 27 remote locations across Florida tuned into the summit virtually and participated in workgroups of their own to begin to develop a strategic plan for the state to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments.

The summit continued to take advantage of technology and social media throughout the day, encouraging participants to “tweet” updates from the summit with their Smartphone and to send in questions for presenters by email and text messages. On-site participants were polled on a variety of issues after each presenter using electronic polling keypads which allowed for the results to be displayed for the audience in seconds. These additional features of the Florida summit were definitely value-added and made for increased dialogue and participation.

As noted in the presentation given by Dr. Thomas Brandon, Director of the Tobacco Research & Intervention Program at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, 17.5 percent of adults in Florida are current cigarette smokers. While over a span of 10 years at least 2-3 people die from shark attacks, 10 die from alligator attacks, and 10,000 people are murdered, tobacco use will kill 300,000 individuals.

Jennifer Singleterry, Manger of Cessation Policy at the American Lung Association, pointed out that smoking not only costs Florida thousands of lives each year, but there are also significant economic costs incurred. Each year Florida suffers $4.4 billion in workplace productivity losses; $7.9 billion in costs of premature death; and $7.3 billion in direct healthcare expenditures. These outrages losses, coupled with the prevalence of morbidity and mortality due to tobacco use, continue to make the case for providing a comprehensive cessation benefit in the state of Florida. For every $1.00 spent on providing cessation treatments, Florida has the potential to see an average return of $1.24.

Diane Canova, Vice President of Policy & Programs at Partnership for Prevention provided the presentation on health reform and what it means for tobacco addiction treatment. She stressed that tobacco cessation offers the highest value of all preventive services, receiving the top rating by the National Commission for Prevention Priorities for health impact and cost effectiveness. She also noted the recent expansion of Medicare coverage for cessation counseling to all tobacco users and other key provisions in the Affordable Care Act. The take-away message was that implementation of expanded coverage is key and we must keep tobacco a prominent priority in community prevention to truly drive down the number of tobacco users.

After the morning presenters, summit participants were divided into workgroups to begin making recommendations for the following audiences to ensure that they receive or provide comprehensive tobacco cessation coverage in the state of Florida: 1) healthcare industry; 2) government employees; 3) Medicaid recipients; and 4) businesses. The larger group reconvened at the end of the day to report out on the recommendations and everyone was pleased by the thought and work that had been put into them in such a short amount of time.

The American Lung Association in Florida and its partners will take the next step in the development of the statewide plan by gathering all the information received at the summit and choosing the recommendations that will hopefully lead to all employees in the state having comprehensive coverage. We look forward to seeing Florida’s plan sometime in December and helping them to implement their plan in the upcoming year.

Brandi Robinson
Tobacco Control Program Associate
Click here for more information.

Funding for Comprehensive Sexual Education Programs, Americans Passing on the Flu Shot named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Prevent.org — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:34:00 GMT

The funding of sex education programs that do not just focus on abstinence-only was named the “Best News for Prevention” while a survey showing that many people plan to skip receiving a flu shot this season was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

BEST
New Federal Funding for Comprehensive Sex Ed Programs

For the first time in more than a decade, the federal government is funding sex education programs that aren't based solely on abstinence. But they're not just about handing out condoms, either.

To qualify, programs had to be supported by at least one study showing a positive, statistically significant effect on at least one of the following categories: sexual activity, contraceptive use, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy or births.

Birth control is distributed as part of the Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program, one of the approaches that are getting HHS funding. But students also get art and music classes, science field trips, homework tutoring, mental health counseling and free medical and dental care. They're also required to get summer jobs, open a bank account, save 10 percent of their wages and learn how to balance a checkbook.

WORST
Many Americans Plan to Skip Flu Shots This Year

Although vaccination against influenza can protect people from illness and help prevent the spread of flu, many Americans say they and their children won't be getting a shot this coming season, new surveys reveal.

Despite the attention surrounding last year's outbreak of H1N1 flu, 43 percent of Americans say they will not be getting the vaccine this fall, according to a survey from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).

Another survey from the same group found a third of American mothers saying they have no plans to get a flu shot for their children.

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.

Click here for more information.

Louisville Texting Program to Help Teens Quit Smoking, Dehydrated Kids named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Prevent.org — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:23:00 GMT

The recently unveiled ButtOut program that sends text messages to teens to help them quit smoking was named the “Best News for Prevention” while the lack of water intake by children and teens in the U.S. was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

BEST
Texting program aims to help Louisville teens stop smoking

Teenagers may soon be receiving more texts.

But instead of messages detailing what time to meet their friends at the mall, these texts are aimed at helping them give up smoking.

The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness rolled out a program Tuesday morning that will use daily texting to remind teens to stop smoking or not to pick up the habit at all.

Known Health department director Dr. Adewale Troutman said at a downtown press conference that the ButtOut program is just one more step in promoting healthier lifestyles among young people.

WORST

Children not getting enough water in their diets

Children and teens aren't staying hydrated enough, a new study reports.

Though kids are likely to drink sugary beverages with their meals, they tend to fall short of the recommended guidelines. Especially in humid Florida weather, children need to replace the water they sweat or face dehydration that can cause fatigue and dizziness, headaches and muscle weakness.

Researchers studied nearly 4,000 children from age 2 to 19 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005 and 2006.

Children ages 2 to 5 drank about 6 cups of water per day, while children ages 6 to 11 drank 6 and three-quarters cups per day. The 12- to 19-year-olds drank about 10 cups per day.

Click here for more information.

US Surgeon General Hosted Conference Call on the National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy

prevent.org — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:24:00 GMT

On October 1st, 2010 VADM Regina M. Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A., Surgeon General, hosted a national conference call to educate Americans about the mission and goals of the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council on the development of the National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy. Because the prevention strategy is still in progress the public dialogue allowed stake holders to engage the Surgeon General on pertinent health topics that they recommend should be considered when developing the National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy.

The call opened with a brief introduction about the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council’s purpose and goals. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin discussed the importance of moving our nation from its current “sick care” system to a more holistic system that will focus on health prevention and wellness. She emphasized the importance of working together to improve the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities.

The prevention strategy framework, which supports the Healthy People 2020 initiative, will have direction and focus while being flexible so that it can engage all members of the public. The framework includes three components; a vision, goals and 10 strategic directions. The goals include creating community environments that make healthy choices easy and affordable while concomitantly implementing effective preventative practices. Each strategic direction will reinforce and accomplish the goals set forth by the prevention council. Approximately 5 questions were asked that ranged from the importance of worksite health to supporting faith based health promotion initiatives. Each question was well received by the Surgeon General. However, since the strategy has yet to be developed the Surgeon General could not give any concrete answers about what specifically the strategy will include, only that each area brought up by stakeholders would be considered when they begin to draft the prevention strategy. By the end of March 2011 the National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy will be released.

Click here for more information.

ActionToQuit Tobacco Cessation Summit in Buffalo, New York

Brian McCue — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention’s second ActionToQuit state summit was held on September 28 in Buffalo, New York. The event brought together organizational representatives, leaders, and advocates committed to saving lives and improving health through tobacco cessation. The summit was led by the New York State (NYS) Smokers Quitline, which received a grant from Partnership for Prevention to develop a state plan for tobacco cessation.

David Zauche, Senior Program Officer at Partnership for Prevention, provided the keynote address at the Buffalo summit. He stressed that tobacco cessation offers the highest value of all preventive services, receiving the top rating by the National Commission for Prevention Priorities for health impact and cost effectiveness. He noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation that tobacco cessation services be covered benefits for all employees, and he explained how federal health reform will positively impact cessation in the nation.

Currently there are 2.7 million smokers in New York State. Leaders from the state quitline and other agencies and organizations set an ambitious goal of reducing that number by one million by the year 2014. This would entail reducing the adult smoking prevalence from 18% to 12%. Fortunately, most cessation indicators are moving in the right direction in New York.

There have been steady increases in the past decade in the percentage of smokers receiving assistance from their health care provider
Similar increases have been seen in the percentage of smokers making a quit attempt
The NYS Smokers Quitline is heavily promoted, providing free telephone and online cessation services and free medications to thousands of people each year
Paid media campaigns reinforce the need to quit and cessation centers exist to provide additional help

However, there is one cessation area in need of strengthening -- health plan provided and employer supported comprehensive treatment benefits. Among the primary barriers smokers face when attempting to quit are a lack of insurance coverage, co-pays for these services, and annual limits on quit attempts. Thus, the Buffalo summit focused on the need for all employees in the state to have comprehensive coverage for cessation treatments when they choose to quit smoking.

According to a September 2010 American Lung Association study, tobacco use costs the United States economy $301 billion per year in health care expenditures, workplace productivity losses, and premature death. New York State’s share of this is about $20 billion annually. This remarkable toll will be a motivating factor for elected officials, insurers, health care systems, and other state leaders in the continuing dialog about health reform and cost containment. Tobacco cessation policies, especially those related to insurance coverage within health plans and workplaces, must be implemented to save lives and contribute to the bottom line.

Click here for more information.

Partnership joins national health leaders in advocating EPA authority to support public health

Brian McCue — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:56:00 GMT

In a strongly worded letter to President Obama and Members of the US House and Senate, Partnership for Prevention joined key national and state public health leaders in supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) effort to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change. The September 28 correspondence advised US political leaders to “fully support the EPA in fulfilling its responsibilities” and oppose “any efforts to weaken, delay or block the EPA from protecting the public’s health from these risks.”

The letter acknowledges “the threat to public health posed by climate change” and urged support for “measures that will reduce these risks and strengthen the ability of our local, state and federal public health agencies to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.”

In addition to Partnership for Prevention, national organizations signing the letter included American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, APHA, ASTHO, NACCHO, NALBH, Trust for America’s Health and over 100 public health organizations representing 37 states.

E. Ripley Forbes
Director, Government Affairs
Click here for more information.

Celebrate Your Heart

Brian McCue — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:54:00 GMT

September 26, 2010 marked the 10th anniversary of World Heart Day. Organized by the World Heart Federation, including the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, World Heart Day calls attention to the death and disability caused by heart disease and stroke.    Most people now understand that cardiovascular disease is the world’s leading cause of death and most people can identify at least some of the contributing risk factors – high cholesterol, high blood pressure, tobacco use.    While we can name the threats, we are slower to recognize and embrace the policies and actions to prevent heart disease and stroke. Controlling diabetes, stopping tobacco use, eating more nutritiously and being more physically active are all important ways to help your heart stay healthy.

This year’s World Heart Day focus was workplace wellness.   Most working adults spend the majority of their day at work and what we do at work affects our heart health. One of Partnership’s signature programs, Leading by Example (LBE) promotes workplace health through CEO to CEO engagement. Our LBE publications highlight the efforts of leading companies to build and support a healthy workforce.

Make your heart a 365 day project. Incorporate healthier practices while at work and home.   Those working virtually or at home aren’t off the hook. Take a walk, put down the candy bar or cigarette and think about other ways to protect your heart during your work day.

For more information on Leading by Example click here, and for worksite health click here.

Diane Canova
VP, Policy and Programs
Partnership for Prevention
Click here for more information.

Bill to Add Free Water to School Menus, Costs of Obesity named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:39:00 GMT

The bill introduced in California to require schools to provide free drinking water in eating areas was named the “Best News for Prevention” while the new report showing the high price of obesity was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

BEST
Bill seeks to add free water to school menus

In many California school cafeterias, there's no free water to drink. Surprised?

"Everyone I talked to says, 'You're kidding,' " said state Sen. Mark Leno (D- San Francisco).

Leno has introduced legislation to change that. His bill requiring schools to offer drinking water at no charge to students has passed the Senate and Assembly and awaits the governor's signature — a fairly sure thing because the governor sponsored the bill.

"As we all know, young people are constantly bombarded by advertisements and pressure from their peers to consume junk beverages that are high in calories and sugar. Yet many students do not have access to free, fresh drinking water at lunchtime," Leno said in material promoting his bill.

WORST

Obesity hurts your wallet and your health

Obesity puts a drag on the wallet as well as health, especially for women.

Doctors have long known that medical bills are higher for the obese, but that's only a portion of the real-life costs.

George Washington University researchers added in things like employee sick days, lost productivity, even the need for extra gasoline — and found the annual cost of being obese is $4,879 for a woman and $2,646 for a man.

That's far more than the cost of being merely overweight — $524 for women and $432 for men, concluded the report being released last Tuesday, which analyzed previously published studies to come up with a total.

The “Best and Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best and Worst News for Prevention” is based on a purposive sample of expert staff members who each week choose to share their opinions on the best and worst news for prevention. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org/.

Click here for more information.

ActionToQuit Tobacco Cessation Summit in Virginia

Brian McCue — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:40:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention’s first ActionToQuit state summit was held on September 21 in Richmond, Virginia. The event brought together some sixty organizational representatives, leaders, and advocates committed to saving lives and improving health through tobacco cessation.

Over one million Virginians are current smokers, and 60% of them attempted to quit in the past year. This decade the smoking rate in the state declined steadily, while the quit attempt rate increased. The tobacco control community has given first priority to tax increases and smoke free public places, and many successes have been realized. But policy and system changes to advance tobacco cessation have not kept pace. Because of this, many people who want to quit have not had access to treatments that have been proven to work.

This summit was an outstanding example of state leaders coming together to solve a problem, in this case a deadly problem. If advocates are serious about significantly decreasing the smoking rate and its corresponding mortality, then change must occur. That’s why discussions centered on:

• expanding Medicaid coverage in Virginia for tobacco cessation
• working with hospitals and health centers to routinely identify and treat tobacco users
• urging all employers and private health plans to offer coverage
• securing additional funding for the Virginia telephone quitline
• convincing thought leaders and elected officials that cessation treatments are high value, saving lives and money

One other central theme at the summit was the need for expansion of cessation services to the behavioral health/mental health community, which has a smoking rate much higher than the national average. In fact, though this group only accounts for 22% of the U.S. population, they consume 44% of the nation’s cigarettes. This prime audience has long been ignored for fear that treating their tobacco addiction would interfere with other treatments. People with serious behavioral health disorders on average die 25 years earlier than the general population, in great measure because of the high smoking rate.

Virginia was the first summit held in ActionToQuit funded states. The other summits, in Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New England, and New York, will be held in the coming month. The Virginia summit was sponsored by the Virginia Partnership for Tobacco Cessation, whose four organizational members are: Prevention Connections, the American Cancer Society, the Alliance for the Prevention and Treatment of Nicotine Addiction, and Partnership for Prevention.

David Zauche
Senior Program Officer
Partnership for Prevention

Click here for more information.

Defeated Johanns Amendment, Low Consumption of Fruits and Veggies named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:43:00 GMT

The defeat of the Johanns Amendment was named the “Best News for Prevention” while the report showing that Americans are not eating enough fruits and veggies was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

BEST
Senate Defeats Effort to Eliminate Prevention and Public Health Investment Fund

On a procedural vote of 46 to 52, the Senate today defeated an effort to eliminate the Prevention and Public Health investment fund; one of the signature initiatives Partnership and other prevention advocates worked to include in the recently passed health reform legislation.

“We are grateful the Senate has affirmed the value of investing in evidence-based programs to help individuals and families live healthier lives. The passage of health reform represented an important compact with the American people to transform our current sick care system into a health care system that places value on keeping people healthy,” said Robert J. Gould, President and CEO of Partnership for Prevention.

The Johanns (R-NE) Amendment was offered to HR 5297, the “Small Business Jobs and Credit Act.” The amendment proposed to offset the costs of eliminating a tax code reporting requirement by eliminating funding Congress reserved to support community-based programs to reduce chronic disease rates, address health disparities and strengthen the “evidence-base for effective prevention programming.” Had the amendment passed, over $10 billion in prevention funding would have been cut from vital public health and prevention programs.

WORST

Americans still skipping fruits, veggies

Most Americans still don't eat vegetables often enough, and fruit consumption is actually dropping a little, according to a new government report released Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that last year about one-third of U.S. adults consumed fruit or fruit juice at least twice a day. That's down slightly from more than 34 percent in 2000.

Only about 26 percent ate vegetables three or more times a day, the same as in 2000. The statistics come from a national telephone survey of hundreds of thousands of Americans.

The “Best and Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best and Worst News for Prevention” is based on a purposive sample of expert staff members who each week choose to share their opinions on the best and worst news for prevention. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org/.

Click here for more information.

Study Shows that Covering Smoking Cessation Will Save States Money

Brian McCue — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:35:00 GMT

The American Lung Association released the results of a nation-wide study Tuesday showing that investing in smoking cessation services saves lives and money. Researchers at Penn State University studied the costs and benefits of behavioral and pharmacologic programs to determine if the costs of making smoking cessation programs available on the state-level could be justified by the benefits. The study specifically took into account the costs that smoking cessation would have on each state, such as lost tax and retail revenue, as well as the benefits each program would have. Researchers focused on the state-level, since it is ultimately the state that is responsible for insurance regulation and coverage decisions.

Researchers conducted a cost-benefit analysis on smoking cessation treatments, which included nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion, and varenicline, both with or without smoking cessation counseling. Benefits included in the analysis were a reduction in direct and indirect medical expenses, as well as increased workplace productivity and a reduction in premature deaths. Costs included in the analysis were the direct costs of the smoking cessation programs, lost tax revenue and lost revenues to retailers and distributors.

Results from this study showed that the annual direct costs to the economy due to smoking were greater than $298 billion. Among these direct costs were workplace productivity losses of an estimated $67.5 billion, premature death losses of $117 billion, and medical expenditures of $116 billion. While a pack of cigarettes on average costs $5.51, taking into account these medical costs and productivity losses, a pack would cost approximately $18.05.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services have issued recommendations on smoking cessation, access to these treatments is not guaranteed and many payers do not provide coverage for smoking cessation. The health benefits of smoking cessation have been known for some time, but there is now economic justification as well. Now it’s time to urge states to take action. If states offer coverage for smoking cessation they will realize health and financial benefits. Researchers have estimated that with every dollar states spend on smoking cessation, they will save on average $1.26. Partnership for Prevention urges all states to join Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon and Pennsylvania in expanding comprehensive coverage to Medicaid recipients to save lives and money.

Katie Burggraf
Tobacco Control Team
Partnership for Prevention
Click here for more information.

New Baby Carrot Campaign, Eligible Kids Missing from Medical Programs named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:31:00 GMT

The new baby carrot campaign to get people excited about eating their vegetables was named the “Best News for Prevention” while the report showing that five million eligible children in the U.S. are not enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

BEST
Oh snap! New baby carrot campaign mimics junk food

Baby carrot farmers are launching a campaign that pitches the little, orange, crunchy snacks as daring, fun and naughty — just like junk food.

A group of 50 producers hopes the 'Eat 'Em Like Junk Food' effort starting next week will double the $1 billion market in two or three years.

The goal is to get people to think of baby carrots as a brand they can get excited about — not just a plain, old vegetable. A website, www.babycarrots.com, features metal music and deep male voices chanting "Baby. Carrots. Extreme." On social networking site Twitter, the campaign's account suggests people eat them "like there's no tomorrow (maybe there won't be...)"

WORST

Medical programs missing millions of kids: report

An estimated five million uninsured children in the United States were eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) but were not enrolled in either plan, according to a new report.

The study published last Friday in the journal "Health Affairs" recommended policy reforms and broader efforts to get uninsured children into government medical programs, including the use of income tax data for automatic enrollment.

An estimated 7.3 million children were uninsured on an average day in 2008 and 65 percent of them were eligible for Medicaid of CHIP coverage, the report said.

The “Best and Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best and Worst News for Prevention” is based on a purposive sample of expert staff members who each week choose to share their opinions on the best and worst news for prevention. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org/.

Click here for more information.

Obama Declares Sept. “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month,” Partnership Sponsors Congressional Briefings on the Epidemic

Brian McCue — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:53:00 GMT

President Barak Obama issued a Proclamation from the White House earlier this month declaring September “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.” He said childhood obesity was a national crisis “with nearly one in every three of America's children being overweight or obese” and noted that obesity affects children in every state, that “particular racial and ethnic groups are more severely impacted” and that “obesity can be influenced by a number of environmental and behavioral factors, including unhealthy eating patterns and too little physical activity at home and at school.”

The President acknowledged that more must be done “to halt and reverse this epidemic, as obesity can lead to severe and chronic health problems during childhood, adolescence and adulthood, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and asthma.” Nearly $150 billion is spent annually on obesity-related medical conditions. “This is not the future” he added “to which we want to consign our children, and it is a burden our health care system cannot bear.

Partnership believes the Proclamation is a timely and important opportunity to remind Americans of the goals and accomplishments of the First Lady’s "Let's Move!" initiative to combat childhood obesity. “Let’s Move” is an historic public health campaign guided by the recommendations of a Task Force on Childhood Obesity which was charged with review of all programs and policies relating to child nutrition and physical activity and development of a national action plan to maximize federal resources and set concrete benchmarks that can end childhood obesity in a generation. The Task Force has produced a report containing a comprehensive set of recommendations and “strategies to address childhood obesity, including providing healthier food in schools, ensuring access to healthy affordable food, increasing opportunities for physical activity, empowering parents and caregivers with better information about making healthy choices, and giving children a healthy start in life.”

Reducing the incidence of childhood obesity will not be easy or quick. While this crisis has been building for three decades growing awareness and resolve across all sectors of our country provide hope that the President’s goal of reducing childhood obesity to 5% by the year 2030 is achievable.

“Our history shows that when we are united in our convictions, we can safeguard the health and safety of America's children for generations to come. When waves of American children were stricken with polio and disabled for life, we developed a nationwide immunization program that eradicated this crippling disease from our shores within a matter of decades. When we discovered that children were going to school hungry because their families could not afford nutritious meals, we created the National School Lunch Program. Today, this program feeds more than 30 million American children, often at little or no charge. When we work together, we can overcome any obstacle and protect our Nation's most precious resource -- our children. As we take steps to turn around the epidemic of childhood obesity, I am confident that we will solve this problem together, and that we will solve it in a generation.

Partnership for Prevention, the Congressional Prevention Caucus and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association are sponsoring two Capitol Hill briefings on September 21 to broaden the awareness of legislators and congressional staff about the threat childhood obesity poses to our nation. The briefings, “Eliminating Childhood Obesity: Developing National Consensus on a Prescription for Change” will include presentations by some of the nation’s most distinguished medical leaders including:

Ursula Bauer, PhD, Director, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Joe Thompson, MD, MPH, Surgeon General for the State of Arkansas and Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Laura Hayman, PhD, RN, Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Nursing in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Boston

These briefings are open to the public. Anyone interested in attending can send their contact information and indicate whether they will attend the House or Senate briefing to meetings@prevent.org
Click here for more information.

Declines in Adult Smoking Prevalence Have Come to a Halt

Brian McCue — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:09:00 GMT

This week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) was dedicated to new and disappointing findings in tobacco control. In addition to the article on secondhand smoke exposure, referenced in a Partnership blog posted yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also published, “Vital Signs: Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults Aged ≥ 18 Years – United States, 2009.” Researchers at the CDC used data from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey and the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to determine adult smoking prevalence rates on both the national and state level.

Researchers found that in 2009, 20.6% of adults in the U.S. were current smokers. For the purposes of this study, cigarette smokers were defined as “adults aged ≥ 18 years who reported having smoked ≥ 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoke every day or some days.” Among these smokers, 78.1% reported smoking every day and 21.9% reported smoking on some days. Results also showed that smoking prevalence varied greatly among different subgroups of the population. Men (23.5%) had a higher smoking prevalence than women (17.9%); non-Hispanic whites (22.1%) and non-Hispanic-blacks (21.3%) had a higher smoking prevalence than Hispanics (14.5%) and Asians (12.0%); and smoking prevalence was higher in the Midwest (23.1%) and South (21.8%) and lowest in the West (16.4%). In addition, there were great variations in smoking prevalence rates among individuals with different education levels. Overall smoking prevalence was found to generally decline with increasing education. Nearly half of all adults who obtained a General Education Development certificate were current smokers, while (49.1%) compared to 5.6 %of people with a graduate degree (5.6%). Researchers also found smoking prevalence to be higher among those living below the federal poverty line (31.1%) than among those at or above the poverty level (19.4%).

The 2009 smoking prevalence rate of 20.6% means that we will not be able to meet our Healthy People 2010 goal of reducing adult smoking prevalence to less than 12%. Results from this study also show that having any decline in smoking prevalence among adults is unlikely since data analyzed in this study show that declines have stalled during the past five years, with no significant difference between smoking prevalence rates in 2005 (20.9%) and 2009 (20.6%).

Partnership for Prevention believes this report provides significant evidence to support the notion that more efforts are needed to help reduce the prevalence of this leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. A closer look at various subgroups reveals that we have many disparities we need to focus our tobacco control efforts on, such as education and income level, in order to drive smoking prevalence down. Partnership for Prevention advocates for price increases, comprehensive smoke-free policies, and anti-tobacco media campaigns in addition to ensuring that all smokers have access to tobacco cessation treatment they need to quit.

Katie Burggraf
Tobacco Control Intern
Partnership for Prevention
Click here for more information.

A Decline in Secondhand Smoke Exposure: Is This Enough?

Brian McCue — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:19:00 GMT

A person’s decision to light up can have serious consequences for their health, but also for the health of those around them. Secondhand smoke is known to cause heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults but also to cause sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, exacerbated asthma, respiratory symptoms, and decreased lung function in children. Given these health hazards, how effective are our nation’s safeguards at preventing this secondhand exposure?

This week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), “Vital Signs: Nonsmokers’ Exposure to Secondhand Smoke – United States, 1999-2008,” provides the answer to this question by determining the proportion of the nonsmoking population who are exposed to secondhand smoke and by analyzing past trends in secondhand smoke exposure as determined by the 1999 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Study results showed that the prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmokers declined from 52.5% during the 1999-2000 survey to 40.1% during the 2007-2008 survey.

Despite this significant decrease in secondhand smoke exposure, this decline was only present for nonsmokers who did not live with a smoker in their home and also was not significant for non-Hispanic whites. This decline has also been shown to fluctuate from year to year and to be quite inconsistent. Furthermore, disparities among secondhand exposure still exists and study results have shown that exposure during every survey cycle is greater among men than among women; among non-Hispanic blacks than among non-Hispanic whites and Mexican-Americans; among children and youth than among adults; and among those below the federal poverty line than among those at or above the federal poverty line. What is most impressive, however, is that despite this decline in secondhand smoke exposure, 88 million nonsmokers who are above the age of three were still exposed to secondhand smoke during 2007-2008 and among these 88 million, 32 million were America’s children and youth (ages 3-19 years).

The results reported in this MMWR have major implications for public health practice and policies. Partnership for Prevention advocates for increases in state, local, and voluntary smoke-free policies in order to make this decline in secondhand exposure consistent and to eliminate existing disparities, especially among youth and children. Currently only twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have comprehensive smoke-free laws covering workplaces, restaurants, and bars. Complete state-wide bans are needed in order to reduce secondhand smoke exposure and protect the American public.

Homes were also shown to be a major source of secondhand smoke exposure, especially for children. Following the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Public Health Service’s recommendation, Partnership for Prevention supports efforts to increase clinician interventions for those parents who smoke. It is recommended that these parents not only get help in quitting smoking, but are also educated about the harms of secondhand smoke.

The Healthy People 2010 goal of reducing secondhand smoke exposure among the nonsmoking population to less than 56% has been accomplished. However, there are still a vast number of Americans who are exposed to the potential dangers of secondhand smoke. With more smoke-free policies and a greater emphasis on preventing at-home exposure, we can do a better job of safeguarding America’s nonsmokers.

Katie Burggraf
Tobacco Control Team
Partnership for Prevention
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New Medicare Coverage for Tobacco Cessation Counseling, Stalling Youth Smoking Rates named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:01:00 GMT

The new Medicare benefit that provides coverage for tobacco cessation counseling to all smokers was named the “Best News for Prevention” while the stalling of youth smoking rates in recent years was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

BEST
Expanding Coverage: Medicare Offers New Tobacco Cessation Counseling Benefit

Youth Smoking Rates Now Stalled

Although teen smoking rates dropped in the past decade, they have stalled in recent years, which means increased tobacco prevention efforts are needed, a new U.S. government study shows.

Between 2000 and 2009, cigarette smoking rates declined from 28 percent to 17.2 percent among high school students, and from 11 percent to 5.2 percent among middle school students, said researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, they noted that the declines between 2006 and 2009 were not statistically significant -- from 19.8 percent to 17.2 percent among high school students and from 6.3 percent to 5.2 percent among middle school students.

The “Best and Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best and Worst News for Prevention” is based on a purposive sample of expert staff members who each week choose to share their opinions on the best and worst news for prevention. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org/.

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Tobacco Use among School Students Declines Over Past 10 Years, but Current Rates of Decline are Slow

Brian McCue — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:05:00 GMT

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, during 2000-2009, the prevalence of current tobacco use among middle school students declined (15.1% to 8.2%), as did current cigarette use (11.0% to 5.2%) and cigarette smoking experimentation (29.8% to 15.0%). The August 27, 2010 report also showed similar trends for high school students, with current tobacco use declining from 34.5% to 23.9%; current cigarette use from 28.0% to 17.2%; and cigarette smoking experimentation from 39.4% to 30.1%.

These trends in tobacco use among youth were analyzed from data from the 2000-2009 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) which collects information on tobacco use and related behaviors and attitudes from middle school and high school students. The NYTS includes measures on prevalence of youth tobacco use, smoking cessation, tobacco-related knowledge and attitudes, access to tobacco, media and advertising, and secondhand smoke exposure and has been conducted approximately every 2 years since 2000.

Although tobacco use decreased over the past ten years for these groups, progress was stalled between 2006 and 2009, with no change in prevalence. This indicates that the current rate of decline in tobacco use is relatively slow and more needs to be done to combat youth smoking. The new restrictions on tobacco product sales and marketing under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act are certainly great strides for tobacco control, but it is clear that we have a ways to go to substantially reduce youth smoking rates.

Partnership for Prevention recommends that youth tobacco prevention and control programs be fully funded to see a major reduction in the prevalence of youth smoking. Specifically, we should focus our efforts on 1) a nationwide public education campaign modeled on the highly successful Truth® campaign that dissuades thousands of young people from initiating tobacco use and encourages smoking cessation and 2) support for existing state and community-based tobacco control programs that reach people where they live, work, play and worship.

Brandi Robinson
Tobacco Control Program Associate
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Expanding Coverage: Medicare Offers New Tobacco Cessation Counseling Benefit

Brian McCue — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:09:00 GMT

On August 25th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced an expansion of Medicare coverage that is supported by many tobacco control advocates around the nation. This new expansion offers coverage of evidence-based tobacco cessation counseling, allowing many more smokers to get the treatment that they need.

Despite the fact that Medicare provides coverage for over 43 million beneficiaries, tobacco counseling was previously only offered to those individuals who were diagnosed with or showed symptoms of a tobacco-related disease. This new benefit provides coverage for tobacco cessation counseling to all smokers. As Secretary Kathleen Sebelius explains, “For too long, many tobacco users with Medicare coverage were denied access to evidence-based tobacco cessation counseling. Most Medicare beneficiaries want to quit their tobacco use. Now, older adults and other Medicare beneficiaries can get the help they need to successfully overcome tobacco dependence.”

Medicare beneficiaries will now be provided coverage for two individual tobacco cessation counseling attempts each year, with a total of eight counseling sessions per Medicare patient each year. This coverage has been expanded under the Affordable Care Act, which requires Medicare to cover a variety of preventive services, including tobacco cessation services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will also provide more guidance in the upcoming months about a new Medicaid benefit offering pregnant women coverage for tobacco cessation treatment.

Tobacco-related diseases will cost Medicare an estimated 800 billion dollars between 1995 and 2015. With this new benefit, however, smokers will receive the help they need to quit and prevent these tobacco-related diseases, providing major health benefits for themselves and huge cost savings for Medicare.

Medicare’s coverage of tobacco cessation counseling eliminates a huge barrier to treatment that previously impeded many smokers who sought help in trying to quit. Such coverage fully supports Partnership for Prevention’s mission to provide comprehensive cessation treatments to all tobacco users. Partnership commends the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its tobacco control efforts.

For more information please visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid website.

Katie Burggraf
Tobacco Control Team
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Hand Cleaners Reduce Workdays Lost, Driving with Pets a Dangerous Distraction named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:54:00 GMT

Alcohol-based hand cleaners shown to reduce common infections and number of workdays lost was named the “Best News for Prevention” while the risky behavior of driving with pets was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

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Hand Cleansers Cut Absenteeism

Putting alcohol-based hand cleansers in work places slashed the incidence of several common infections and reduced the number of workdays lost, a randomized trial showed.

Access to the disinfectants was associated with odds ratios of 0.35 to 0.45 (P<0.05) for reported colds, fevers, and coughs in an unblinded trial with 129 participants, according to Nils-Olaf Hübner, MD, of the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine in Greifswald, Germany, and colleagues.

The researchers also found that putting disinfectants on employees' desks helped reduce absenteeism. The effect was modest overall, but workdays lost because of diarrhea were cut dramatically, they reported in the online open-access journal BMC Infectious Diseases.

WORST

Study: Driving under influence of pets a danger

Safety experts have a new pet peeve related to distracted driving. In addition to texting or talking on a cell phone while driving, lap dogs and other pets left unrestrained inside moving vehicles pose a major distraction that could be deadly, a new study released Wednesday warns motorists.

About two-thirds of dog owners surveyed by the AAA organization said they routinely drive while petting or playing with their dogs, sometimes even giving them food or water while maneuvering through traffic.

It has been a common sight for many years to see dogs hanging their heads out of open car windows with their ears flapping in the breeze. But in the cocoon that the automobile has become, more drivers are nonchalantly cradling their dogs atop their laps or perching the animals on their chests with the pet's front paws clutching the driver's neck or shoulders. It's risky behavior for the driver and dangerous for the pets, too.

The “Best and Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best and Worst News for Prevention” is based on a purposive sample of expert staff members who each week choose to share their opinions on the best and worst news for prevention. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org/.

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Produce by “Prescription,” Hands-Free Headsets No Safer named “Best/Worst News for Prevention"

Brian McCue — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:34:00 GMT

Doctors in Massachusetts prescribing produce to their patients as a way to fight childhood overweight was named the “Best News for Prevention” while hands-free headsets are proven to be no safer than holding the cell phone while driving was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.

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Eat an Apple (Doctor’s Orders)

The farm stand is becoming the new apothecary, dispensing apples — not to mention artichokes, asparagus and arugula — to fill a novel kind of prescription.

Doctors at three health centers in Massachusetts have begun advising patients to eat “prescription produce” from local farmers’ markets, in an effort to fight obesity in children of low-income families. Now they will give coupons amounting to $1 a day for each member of a patient’s family to promote healthy meals.

“A lot of these kids have a very limited range of fruits and vegetables that are acceptable and familiar to them. Potentially, they will try more,” said Dr. Suki Tepperberg, a family physician at Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester, one of the program sites. “The goal is to get them to increase their consumption of fruit and vegetables by one serving a day.”

WORST

Hands-Free Headsets Aren't Safer for Drivers Than Holding Cell Phone

Ditch the phone if you drive. That's the bottom line of a new study that found using hands-free headsets while driving doesn't result in fewer accidents, echoing the results of many previous studies.

''When you are on the phone, you are only using part of your brain to drive," says researcher David Schwebel, PhD, vice-chair and professor of psychology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, who presented the findings today at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Diego.

''My advice is not to talk on the phone while you are driving, ever," he says.

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Partnership Urges CMS to Clarify Tobacco Cessation Coverage for Pregnant Women on Medicaid

Brian McCue — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention is proud to be one of six groups telling Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), “Medicaid should cover the full range of proven and effective treatment options so that pregnant women can find the particular service or combination of services that will best help them to quite using tobacco and not relapse.” Partnership made these comments in a letter yesterday to CMS on our views on the implementation of Section 4107 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

This section of the PPACA will be implemented October 1st of this year and will require state Medicaid programs to cover comprehensive tobacco cessation services, including “diagnostic, therapy, and counseling services and pharmacotherapy (including the coverage of prescription and non-prescription tobacco cessation agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration)”, for pregnant women. While this is certainly an improvement to the Social Security Act, Partnership urges CMS to clarify exactly what states must do to comply with Section 4107.

In its current state, the PPACA does not specify the type of counseling or the amount and duration of counseling sessions that pregnant women should receive. The Public Health Service’s Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence clinical practice guideline (PHS Guideline) found that proactive telephone counseling (quitlines, call-back counseling), individual counseling, and group counseling formats are all effective in reducing tobacco use. The PHS Guideline also confirmed that there is a strong dose-response relationship between the frequency and length of the counseling sessions and successful quit attempts. Furthermore, the PHS Guideline found that an effective strategy for producing high, long-term abstinence rates is “relatively intense cessation counseling (e.g., four or more sessions that are 10 minutes or more in length each)” and recommends that, if possible, clinicians should strive to meet with individuals four or more times.

Based on these guidelines, Partnership feels that the PPACA should require states to cover all three counseling formats: individual, group, and telephone-based. They should also cover a minimum of four counseling sessions per quit attempt and should be strongly encouraged to cover more sessions since accumulating evidence suggests that states cover a minimum of two quit attempts per year.

In terms of cessation medications, the current PHS Guideline does not make recommendations. In the event that a subsequent PHS Guideline does recommend use of cessation medications during pregnancy or if new evidence emerges that cessation medications can be used safely and effectively by pregnant women, Partnership encourages CMS to inform states that they must cover those medications in their Medicaid programs with no cost-sharing requirement.

Partnership for Prevention believes that effective implementation of this new policy will result in fewer health risks and save lives and money.
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Decline in Hospital Staph Infections, Increased Rate of Early Onset of Puberty for Girls named “Best/Worst News for Prevention”

Brian McCue — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:54:00 GMT

The drop in dangerous hospital staph infections in the United States was named the “Best News for Prevention” while girls beginning puberty at ages 7 and 8 was named the “Worst News for Prevention.”

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. "Best/Worst News for Prevention” polls are snapshots taken during a brief period of time that reflect the views of Partnership for Prevention staff. The polls are not designed or intended to reflect a statistically valid representation of the population and should not be used as such. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org.

BEST

US sees drop in dangerous hospital staph illnesses

Aggressive, drug-resistant staph infections caught in hospitals or from medical treatment are becoming scarcer, another sign of progress in a prevention effort that has become a national public health priority.

The decline was seen in a federal study of methicillin-resistant staph, or MRSA. The bug often causes only a boil or skin infection. But researchers in the study focused on invasive cases that can become deadly, invading the bloodstream, flesh, lungs and bones.

Researchers found that in nine metro areas, cases of MRSA fell about 16 percent between 2005 and 2008. That translates to a drop from about 32 cases per 100,000 to 26 cases per 100,000 people.

The results suggest aggressive efforts to stop the germ from spreading are working, researchers said. Such efforts include better hand-washing by doctors and nurses, and testing for MRSA when patients are admitted to the hospital. "We're very encouraged by the results," said Dr. Alexander Kallen of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the study's lead author. But he added, "It's still too early to celebrate. A lot of work needs to be done about better ways to eliminate MRSA."

WORST

Many Girls Now Begin Puberty at Age 7, 8

The onset of puberty is continuing to drop among American girls, with many girls as young as 7 and 8 now showing the beginnings of breast development, new research shows. Among 7-year-olds, about 10.4 percent of white girls, 23.4 percent of black girls and almost 15 percent of Hispanic girls had started developing breasts, the team report in the September issue of Pediatrics. Among 8-year-olds, 18.3 percent of white girls, about 43 percent of black girls and just under 31 percent of Hispanic girls showed evidence of breast development.
Rising rates of childhood obesity -- long linked to earlier sexual development -- may be to blame, experts say.

Experts called the findings alarming. In terms of women's health, early puberty, including younger ages at menarche, or first menstrual cycle, is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer throughout the life span, Biro said. In addition, developing early is associated with psychological and social pressures that young girls may be ill-equipped to handle, including sexual advances from older boys and men, said Dr. Marcia Herman-Giddens, adjunct professor of public health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

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Enlisting the Public to Help “Break the Chain of Tobacco Addiction”: A New Website for the FDA

Brian McCue — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:44:00 GMT

On June 22, 2010 new restrictions on tobacco product sales and marketing under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) finally went into effect. This act is specifically aimed at protecting children and youth from the dangers of using tobacco. These restrictions prohibit the sale of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to people under the age of eighteen; prohibit the sale of cigarette packs with less than twenty cigarettes; prohibit the distribution of free samples of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco; and prohibit tobacco companies from sponsoring many events such as music concerts, athletic games, and other cultural or social gatherings. These are certainly great strides for tobacco control, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and tobacco prevention advocates still have a ways to go in order to continue to prevent tobacco use among America’s youth.

One major task is educating both retailers and the public about these new restrictions. The FDA has wasted no time and is tackling this issue with their new website: Break the Chain of Tobacco Addiction. The website features various ways for retailers, organizations, and the general public to “spread the word” about the new regulations. The site has flyers and posters available for download with slogans such as “Don’t Let Minors Buy Tobacco. It’s the Law. Break the chain of tobacco addiction. Keep tobacco out of the hands of America’s youth. It’s the right thing to do” and “Break the Chain of Tobacco Addiction: I follow the law. I don’t sell tobacco to minors.”

The FDA is also using their website to help people “Stay Informed” – visitors to the website can sign up for e-mail updates, an RSS feed, or become a follower on Twitter. There are also various links to information and materials to help people “Learn More” and there are a variety of “Guidances” for the help the tobacco industry comply with these new regulations. The FDA is encouraging organizations to feature its widget that scrolls content from the FDA’s website and the “Break the Chain” badge on their own sites.

To help spread the word about these important new regulations, visit the “Break the Chain” website at http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/ResourcesforYou/BreakTheChain/default.htm.

Katie Burggraf
Tobacco Control Team
Partnership for Prevention
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Public Opinion is More Favorable of Cigarette Smoking in Bars, Least Favorable of it in Restaurants

Brian McCue — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:01:00 GMT

A recent USA Today/Gallup poll found that opinions on smoking in public places are drastically changing and not to the benefit of tobacco users. Since Gallup’s first poll in 1987 on restricting smoking in public places, respondents have become increasingly opposed to smoking in restaurants, hotels, and in workplaces. The percentage of those in support of banning smoking in restaurants and hotels has more than tripled since the first Gallop poll, and has more than doubled for the percentage of those in favor of workplace smoking bans.

The 2010 Gallup poll found that 59 percent of respondents believed that smoking should be banned in restaurants, an increase when compared to the 54 percent who wanted smoking restrictions in restaurants during the 2007 Gallup poll. Partnership for Prevention is pleased that smoking bans in public places are becoming more and more popular and the risks of secondhand smoke are also becoming increasingly evident. However, only 31 percent of poll respondents favored, in bars. In fact, 23 percent of respondents actually favored having no restrictions in bars and 43 percent believed that designated areas should be set aside for smokers in bars. In addition, while only 36 percent of participants felt that smokers should be accommodated in restaurants, the majority thought that smokers should be accommodated in workplaces and hotels/motels (52% and 58% respectively).

Why this change in opinion all of a sudden?

One possible reason is that the percentage of current cigarette smokers has declined from 30 percent in 1987 to the current prevalence of 22 percent. Gallup polls have consistently shown that nonsmokers are more likely to support smoking bans compared to smokers. Thus, this decline in smoking trends could offer some explanation as to why public smoking is being favored less and less.

Another possible reason is that the public is becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of secondhand smoke, especially after the US Surgeon General’s 2006 report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke. The percentage of people who perceive that exposure to secondhand smoke poses a serious threat to a nonsmoker’s health has also increased dramatically from 36 percent in 1994 to 55 percent in 2010.

These poll results suggest that we may be going further than the majority of Americans would prefer with some restrictions on public smoking, but more importantly that we may not be going far enough with other restrictions. Currently only half of all states in the U.S. have broad smoking bans that restrict smoking in public places.

The question remains however: How far should we go?

Certainly we need to protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke, but at what point do we have to stop ignoring public opinion? Perhaps the problem is not simply overriding the public’s opinion on smoking bans, but rather working towards educating the public and helping to change the public’s opinion on smoking restrictions in public places.

For more information please visit: http://www.gallup.com/poll/141809/americans-smoking-off-menu-restaurants.aspx

Katie Burggraf
Tobacco Control Team
Partnership for Prevention

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Health Reform Benefits Women

Brian McCue — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:29:00 GMT

The good news is that 30 million women who are currently uninsured or underinsured will benefit from the recently passed Affordable Care Act (ACA). These women and their children will enjoy a full range of comprehensive benefits through private insurance, or the Medicare and Medicaid programs. A recently released study by the Commonwealth Fund, “Realizing Health Reform’s Potential: Women and the Affordable Care Act of 2010,” examined the ACA’s provisions to identify their impact on access to health services, as well as future cost implications. Provisions eliminating the pre-existing condition exclusion, requiring coverage for maternity and newborn care, providing insurance purchase subsidies, limiting out-of-pocket expenses and prohibiting higher premiums based on gender, all contribute to a significantly more positive future for women seeking health care.

The report also highlights the new preventive care benefits that will provide increased access to high value recommended services from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) without cost-sharing. However, the report missed the mark by failing to mention tobacco cessation. Tobacco-related disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. causing over 170,000 deaths per year among women. In 2006, 18 percent of adults with private health insurance were current smokers, compared to 35 percent of Medicaid recipients and 34 percent of the uninsured population. All USPSTF recommendations are linked to a letter grade that reflects the level of certainty of the evidence supporting the preventive service. The ACA will make access to the “A” ranked smoking cessation treatments a reality for more women. And, their children will benefit from reduced exposure to secondhand smoke, thereby decreasing incidence of asthma and other related conditions. Under the federal Medicaid program, tobacco cessation services are a mandated benefit for pregnant women. A good start, but all Medicaid enrollees should have access to smoking cessation counseling and medications.

Preventive services not only help keep people healthy, they also save lives. 42,000 lives can be saved each year by helping more smokers quit.

Read the full report - Realizing Health Reform's Potential: Women and the Affordable Care Act of 2010.

Diane Canova
Vice President, Policy & Programs
Partnership for Prevention
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Addressing Cigarette Use is Simply Not Enough When it Comes to Tobacco Control

Brian McCue — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:57:00 GMT

Cigarette smoking causes 443,000 deaths annually and is the predominant form of tobacco used in the United States. However, adults also use other tobacco products either singly or in combination. The need to address this issue in tobacco use led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze data from the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which is a state-based telephone survey of non-institutionalized adults who are eighteen years or older, and publish a report in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), “Any Tobacco Use in 13 States – Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.”

The CDC analyzed data on the use of tobacco products other than cigarettes that had been collected from thirteen states who agreed to an optional BRFSS module. The CDC looked at data for current cigarette use, any tobacco use (tobacco users who currently used cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or other tobacco products), and current polytobacco users (tobacco users who currently used cigarettes and also another form of tobacco). These three different variables were also analyzed according to various risk factors such as gender, household income, education, age, ethnicity, etc.

Researchers found that simply focusing on cigarette use may not be the best solution when it comes to tobacco control. According to the study, in 2008 cigarette use ranged from 14.6% to 26.6%, any tobacco use ranged from 18.4% to 35.0%, and polytobacco use ranged from 1.0% to 3.7% among the thirteen states. Use of any tobacco product was more prevalent among persons who were a member of an unmarried couple, (36.3%), single adults (30.3%), and those who were widowed or divorced (29.1%) compared to married persons (21.2%). Polytobacco use was found to be more prevalent among men (4.4%), young adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four (5.7%), those who were single (4.8%), those who had a household income of less than $35,000 a year, adults with less than a high school education (3.6%), and those adults with only a high school diploma or GED (3.6%).

Results from this study show that while tobacco control efforts have focused mainly on decreasing the prevalence of cigarette smoking, the use of other tobacco products also needs to be addressed if we are to improve the health of our nation. When we consider any tobacco use, an additional 5% of the adult population in these thirteen states is added to the prevalence rate for tobacco use. Using multiple tobacco products can also have adverse health effects, lead to higher nicotine addiction, and make the tobacco user unable to quit using tobacco. For these reasons, and the fact that youth have higher polytobacco use than adults, prevention and health policy efforts need to be targeted towards all forms of tobacco and not just cigarette use.

Partnership for Prevention, a long standing advocate for evidence-based tobacco cessation policies, believes that tobacco control should be at the top of our health agenda and should involve proven strategies such as public awareness efforts, youth tobacco use prevention, tobacco tax increases, and smoke free air policies that address all forms of tobacco use.

Katie Burggraf
Tobacco Control Team
Partnership for Prevention

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Smoking Cessation Leadership Center Interviews David Zauche (Part One)

Brian McCue — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:08:00 GMT

• Florida - Tobacco Cessation Summit & Action Plan

• Nevada - Increasing Cessation Access for All Nevadans

• New England - New England Partnership for Smoking Cessation Policy

• New York - New York State Access to Tobacco Use Treatment Strategic Planning Project

• Virginia - Virginia Partnership for Tobacco Use Cessation

A brief on each grantee's initiative has been posted to the ActionToQuit website here.

2. Your website offers some valuable resources for those interested in expanding access to tobacco cessation treatment. Could you tell us about the recent creation of Save Lives and Money - Help People on Medicaid Quit Tobacco? What was the history behind the creation of the guide?

Save Lives and Money - Help People on Medicaid Quit Tobacco is a new resource from Partnership and the American Lung Association. It's the second guide of its kind from these national partners, the first one dealing with state employee tobacco cessation coverage. This resource is important because of the high rates of tobacco use among the Medicaid population and the associated costs. The big idea is that because so much of Medicaid's funding goes toward tobacco-related diseases, an up-front investment in prevention (i.e. tobacco cessation) must be given serious consideration. In 2004, U.S. Medicaid expenditures for illnesses caused by tobacco totaled $30 billion, or 11% of the entire Medicaid budget. The point is that we must do more to help people on Medicaid quit tobacco - if we do we'll save both lives and money.

3. Why did you feel there is a need for such a resource?

ActionToQuit wants to spotlight the states that are doing the best job at providing Medicaid coverage for their tobacco users. The six states that lead the way by covering all treatments recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service are Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. In particular, we applaud their efforts to cover all medications and counseling treatments since most smokers will need many attempts and (possibly) several different tools to quit successfully.

4. What audience is the guide intended for?

Partnership for Prevention believes that all Medicaid plans should be required to cover all cessation treatments. To this end the new guide is intended for advocates that comprise state tobacco control coalitions, insurers/health plans, state Medicaid leaders, and policymakers. States have achieved many outstanding advances in smoke free air laws and increased tobacco taxes and these accomplishments are to be commended. However, tobacco control policies related to cessation have often lagged behind. One area in which much progress is needed involves the unnecessary barriers that exist which make it harder for people to make quit attempts. Insurers and policymakers should focus on removing these barriers, which include co-pays, duration limits, annual limits on quit attempts, and dollar limits. There are policy solutions for these problems.

5. How does the guide address the passage of health reform for Medicaid and cessation coverage?

...to be continued: read part two of the interview this Thursday, August 5, 2010

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Smoking Cessation Leadership Center Interviews David Zauche (Part Two)

Brian McCue — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:07:00 GMT

ActiontoQuit is a tobacco cessation initiative sponsored by Partnership for Prevention. It urges all sectors - employers, insurers, health care systems, quitlines, and policymakers - to work together to ensure that all tobacco users have access to comprehensive cessation treatments.

Senior Program Officer for the Partnership for Prevention, David Zauche, recently spoke with the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center about current activities and future projects of ActionToQuit. We posted part one of the interview last Monday, August 2. Here is part two:

5. How does the [Save Lives and Money - Help People on Medicaid Quit Tobacco] guide address the passage of health reform for Medicaid and cessation coverage? For example: I understand the new health reform bill requires that all state Medicaid programs provide comprehensive tobacco cessation care to pregnant women. What are some of the recommendations in the guide for state Medicaid programs to implement these changes?

The passage of health reform will do much to advance tobacco cessation in the United States. Shortly, private health plans will be required to extend coverage of many clinical prevention services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This coverage will include tobacco cessation interventions. All state Medicaid plans will be required to provide tobacco cessation coverage for pregnant women, but to them only. Partnership for Prevention and other national partners believe that this is the right time for states to voluntarily extend tobacco cessation coverage to all Medicaid beneficiaries, not just pregnant women. The six states I mentioned have done this because it made sense from the health promotion and fiscal angles. When people quit smoking successfully, they realize many health benefits. But states can benefit too.

6. Action to Quit has many cessation resources and partnership activities listed on the website. Are there specific resources Partnership offers around implementing tobacco free policy changes which you can share with our audience?

Three guides, all available for free download on www.actiontoquit.org, come to mind. "Smoke-Free Policies - An Action Guide" is a resource for workplaces and community leaders that want to establish ordinances to protect the public from secondhand smoke. It translates the evidence-based recommendations in "The Community Guide" into implementation strategies. "Investing in a Tobacco-Free Future" is a tool kit for the workplace. It outlines the costs of smoking to businesses, the impact on worker productivity, and how to implement tobacco use treatment policies through a health plan. "Investing in Health - Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces" charts a course for businesses to implement three inexpensive strategies to save lives from tobacco. They are: implementing tobacco-free policies, offering tobacco use treatment benefits, and providing access to a telephone quitline for tobacco users.

7. What other tools and resources can people anticipate in the future?

Partnership for Prevention recently extended funding to the Joint Commission to develop and test a global set of tobacco cessation quality standards which would be applicable to all hospitalized patients. If adopted, these measures will require hospitals to identify all patients who use tobacco and offer them counseling, medications and limited follow-up. Later in 2010, when the final standards are published, Partnership will create and disseminate an implementation guide for hospitals. Additionally, Partnership will produce case studies for each of our funded ActionToQuit grantee states. These will describe their journey in forming a state tobacco cessation alliance, holding a summit meeting, and creating a state action plan to advance cessation.

8. What recommendations do you have for those interested in creating their own partnership around cessation or improving one that already exists?

Two things have been proven in recent years:

• First, the highly successful tobacco tax and smoke-free state campaigns have proven that tobacco control advocates can come together and, through a strong synergistic effort, change policies and save lives. It's happened across the country.
• Second, we've learned just recently that a state can cover all its Medicaid subscribers for tobacco cessation treatment and see positive short term results. Massachusetts implemented a comprehensive tobacco cessation benefit in July of 2006 and has seen smoking rates for beneficiaries drop 26% in two and a half years. The state has also seen significant decreases in hospitalizations for heart attacks, emergency room visits for asthma symptoms, and adverse maternal birth complications.

The ActiontoQuit Network is a group of over 500 professionals who are committed to tobacco cessation.

For more information contact:
Brandi Robinson at brobinson@prevent.org, 202-384-1505 or
David Zauche at dzauche@prevent.org, 202-375-7807.
Click here for more information.

Partnership on the Road

Brian McCue — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 10:47:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention recently exhibited at the 2010 National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) in Louisville, Kentucky. The conference was widely attended by legislators, legislative staffers, government officials, business representatives, union members, foundation representatives and others interested in public policy. Concurrent sessions focused on the economy, transportation, education, health care, human services, energy, environment and professional development for legislators and staff. Many state representatives and senators came to the Partnership exhibit booth to hear information about the organization and its policy and programmatic efforts. Save Lives and Money - Help People on Medicaid Quit Tobacco, a new resource from Partnership for Prevention /ActionToQuit and the American Lung Association, garnered the most attention from state legislators and other conference attendees. This resource underscored that Medicaid recipients smoke more than any other population segment and made the argument that, by covering all of them, individual states could save both lives and money. Only six states lead the way in providing the seven recommended medications and group and individual counseling for all Medicaid patients. Save Lives and Money can be downloaded on the ActionToQuit website’s “Resources” section at http://actiontoquit.org/resources/.

Partnership staff also engaged legislators and staffers through the distribution of hand sanitizer, especially Kentucky Senator Gerald A. Neal (D). Senator Neal was intrigued by Partnership’s hand sanitizer “give away” as a mechanism to promote good health and prevent disease. The Kentucky Senator was very interested in distributing hand sanitizer at a community health event that stressed the importance of the prevention. During the dialogue, Partnership identified various health agenda intersections and plans to follow up with his office to discuss community health prevention. In addition to the hand sanitizer, Partnership also distributed a CD of the organization’s top five publications to legislative staffers. Entitled “NCSL 2010”, the CD included the following publications: 2009 Annual Report, CDC Action Guide: Places for Physical Activity, CDC Action Guide: Social Support for Physical Activity, Healthy Workforce 2010 and Beyond, Investing In Health, and Smokefree Policies. Legislative staffers liked the idea of having the organization’s most popular publications on a compact disc. Many expressed that it would help streamline their efforts when needing to consult with a “prevention” authority.
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Partnership Co-Hosts Tobacco Cessation Briefing at NCSL’s Legislative Summit in Louisville, Kentucky--Briefing Video to Follow

Brian McCue — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:28:00 GMT

Key Partnership senior staff are on hand at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) annual legislative summit being held this year in Louisville, Kentucky, July 25-July 28. Partnership’s Government Affairs team worked closely with the NCSL Health Committee to host a special tobacco cessation briefing for state legislators and their staff members from across the country. The briefing focused on the impact the Massachusetts Medicaid program experienced when it offered and promoted a comprehensive tobacco cessation benefit. Although data is still being analyzed, the preliminary results are very promising.

Richard T. Moore, Senate Chairman of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Health Care Financing and incoming NCSL President told the audience that:

Within just one year, users of the smoking cessation benefit had dramatic reductions in hospitalizations for heart attacks, declines in emergency and clinic visits for asthma, and a significant decrease in acute birth complications.
In the first two and a half years of the benefit over 75,000 MassHealth members have tried to quit smoking. This represents 40 percent of smokers on MassHealth, a level unprecedented in the nation.
Researchers from the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program found that up to 38 percent fewer MassHealth cessation benefit users were hospitalized for heart attacks in the first year after using the benefit and 17 percent fewer benefit users visited the emergency room for asthma symptoms in the first year after using the benefit.
Researchers also found that there were 17 percent fewer claims for adverse maternal birth complications since the benefit was implemented.

In addition, the briefing included an important presentation from the MassHealth Deputy Medical Director Roger L. Snow, MD, MPH. Dr. Snow reviewed the history of the MassHealth benefit and credited Senator Moore for having the vision to recognize that the availability and utilization of a comprehensive benefit could save lives and help control spending in the Medicaid program. At Senator Moore’s urging, the legislature directed MassHealth to expand upon the Mass Department of Public Health’s limited telephone consultation service and adopt a comprehensive cessation benefit.

A copy of Dr. Snow’s slides can be viewed here.

Please be sure to check back to the prevent.org web site next week to see a video of the entire NCSL briefing and discussion “Cessation Saves Lives.”

Ripley Forbes
Director, Government Affairs
Partnership for Prevention

Click here for more information.

New Partnership Guide Offers States Guidance on Helping Medicaid Recipients Quit Tobacco

Brian McCue — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:21:00 GMT

Partnership for Prevention’s ActionToQuit initiative has developed a comprehensive state-by-state analysis of Medicaid coverage of tobacco cessation. Prepared in collaboration with the American Lung Association, Saving Lives and Money – Helping People on Medicaid Quit Tobacco offers clear guidance to states on necessary steps to provide a comprehensive cessation benefit in accordance with recommendations of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS).

In 2004, the U.S. Medicaid expenditures for tobacco related illnesses totaled $22 billion, which was 11% of the overall Medicaid expenditure. States like New Hampshire and Montana, with smoking prevalence rates among the Medicaid population at 80% and 70% respectively, both attributed 15% of Medicaid costs to smoking. Their combined smoking attributable costs to Medicaid were $173 million. Although both Arizona and Washington’s prevalence rates were lower than 70% in 2004, both states attributed 18% of Medicaid costs to smoking, totaling $841 million. Since a large portion of Medicaid’s funding goes toward treating tobacco related diseases, an up-front investment in prevention, including tobacco cessation, must be a consideration.

As mapped out in Saving Lives and Money, six states currently cover all the treatments Medicaid recipients need to quit tobacco – Minnesota, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Pennsylvania. Twenty-one states provide most, but not all, recommended cessation treatments to all of their Medicaid recipients; eighteen states provide only a few cessation treatments or have uneven coverage; and four states fail to cover any of the recommended medications or counseling for Medicaid recipients who want to quit.

The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires that all Medicaid programs cover a comprehensive cessation benefit for pregnant women on Medicaid beginning this fall. The Act also provides a one percentage point increase in the federal Medicaid matching rate to states that cover all preventive services given an ‘A’ or ‘B’ by the USPHS (including tobacco cessation) with no cost-sharing. These are important steps in the right direction but, as Saving Lives and Money points out, there is still much to be done.

The guide will be introduced next week at an important session of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) Health Committee meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. At Partnership’s urging, this year the NCSL Health Committee is hearing a presentation on the remarkable success of the Massachusetts Medicaid program in promoting a comprehensive tobacco cessation benefit and achieving unprecedented success in reducing tobacco prevalence among the Medicaid population and reducing tobacco related health care costs.

Please visit the ActionToQuit website, Resources section to download the guide: http://actiontoquit.org/resources/

Brandi Robinson
Program Associate
Partnership for Prevention

Click here for more information.

Partnership for Prevention Featured on Sirius Radio

Brian McCue — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:45:00 GMT

Robert J. Gould, PhD, President and CEO and Jason M.M. Spangler, MD, MPH, Senior Program Officer were interviewed this morning by Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist and women's health expert at NYU Medical Center, on her radio show, "Doctor Radio", carried by Sirius XM Radio. The broadcast garnered interest from the public, as several people called/emailed in with specific screening questions.

In addition to fielding questions, Dr. Gould and Dr. Spangler discussed Partnership’s mission and stressed the importance of prevention. Dr. Gould and Dr. Spangler highlighted the critical work Partnership is accomplishing in the areas of tobacco cessation and control, vaccines, and aspirin use. Dr. Goldberg is a member of Partnership’s Aspirin Task Force, an advisory group tasked with increasing aspirin counseling and aspirin use for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Gould and Dr. Spangler also touched on the new regulations that require insurance plans to provide United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) A and B recommended preventive services without cost sharing. These regulations will begin to remove barriers to access to preventive care.

The interview will be re-broadcast today at 5 pm Eastern, Friday July 16 at 5 am Eastern and Sunday July 18 at 5 am Eastern on Sirius channel 114 and XM channel 119.

If you don't have a Sirius or XM subscription, you can sign up for a 7-day free trial period by visiting this website: www.sirius.com/freetrial/register. We hope you will tune in.

Click here for more information.

Electronic Medical Records

Brian McCue — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:43:00 GMT

In 2009, the Obama administration and Congress passed the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) to increase the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR’s). The law authorizes incentive payments through Medicare and Medicaid to clinicians and hospitals when they use EHR’s to achieve improvements in care delivery. On July 13, 2010 Secretary Sebelius announced the final rules to support meaningful use of EHR’s, officially launching a concentrated five-year national initiative to improve the health of Americans and reduce health care costs through their adoption and use.

Earlier this year Partnership for Prevention joined with its colleagues at Trust for America’s Health in submitting public comments on the HITECH rules, requesting that the clinical quality measures have a focus on preventive care, specifically those clinical preventive services that provide the highest value as recommended by the National Commission on Prevention Priorities (NCPP). These include influenza immunization rates, smoking cessation counseling, BMI screening and follow-up, cervical cancer and chlamydia screening, and aspirin therapy. We applauded the Department of Health and Human Services for including public health among its goals for implementation.

While the final rules do not include all the measures recommended, smoking status for patients 13 years old or older was included as a measured functionality. This is a victory for tobacco control advocates because recording smoking status may lead to an increase in the number of patients who receive smoking cessation treatment. The age threshold is important as counseling for adolescent smokers has been shown to be effective, approximately doubling long-term abstinence rates in the multiple studies. Additionally, this measure will be in accord with the 2008 Update to the Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline on Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence.

This is an exciting time in healthcare in America. Paper-based treatment, surveillance, and recordkeeping is yielding to same-time health communication. The 2009 law and the July 13 announcement of its rules will go a long way toward operationalizing these advances.

For more information:

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/07/20100713a.html

http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=3732

David Zauche
Senior Program Officer
Partnership for Prevention

Click here for more information.

Fish Oil Supplements Linked to Lower Risk of Breast Cancer, 40 Million Expired Swine Flu Vaccine Doses to Be Destroyed Named “Best, Worst Prevention Ideas of the Week”

Brian McCue — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:11:00 GMT

A new study by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle showing that postmenopausal women who take fish oil supplements may reduce their breast cancer risk was named the “Best Prevention Idea of the Week,” while the recent news from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that about 40 million doses of swine flu vaccine worth about $260 million will be destroyed because it's past the expiration date was named the “Worst Prevention Idea of the Week."

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. Nominees are submitted by Partnership staff as well as the general public, and are voted on by the staff. Partnership for Prevention is a nonpartisan organization of business, nonprofit and government leaders who are working to make evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion a national priority. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org .

BEST

Study Finds Fish Oil Supplements Linked to Lower Risk of Breast Cancer

Postmenopausal women who take fish oil supplements may reduce their breast cancer risk, a new study suggests.

The study focused on the potential health benefits of 15 different so-called "specialty" supplements to see if they affect breast cancer risk, said study senior author Emily White, an epidemiologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Fish oil supplements, made from fatty fish such as salmon, contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

In the study, White and her colleagues asked more than 35,000 Washington state women who were between the ages of 50 and 76 and all past menopause to answer questions about their use of "non-vitamin, non-mineral supplements." All were participants in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort study, and none had a history of breast cancer.

After six years of follow up, 880 cases of breast cancer were identified.

WORST

40 Million Expired Swine Flu Vaccine Doses to Be Destroyed

About 40 million doses of swine flu vaccine worth about $260 million will be destroyed because it's past the expiration date, says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The amount of the outdated vaccine, which will be incinerated, is more than twice the usual surplus and likely sets a record, according to the Associated Press.

One government estimate suggests that about 30 million more swine flu vaccine doses could expire and have to be destroyed. If that's the case, it means that more than 43 percent of the total supply of swine flu vaccine for the U.S. public will have gone to waste, the AP reported.

Click here for more information.

Declines in Youth Smoking Trends are Coming to a Halt

Brian McCue — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:36:00 GMT

As Rob Gould, President and CEO of Partnership for Prevention, has stated, “the top priority for prevention spending should be tobacco control.” And what is the best way to focus our tobacco control efforts? The answer is youth. By focusing on youth we can prevent this addictive behavior before it starts.

The need to address youth smoking is pressing. CDC published a report in last week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled, “Cigarette Use Among High School Students–United States, 1991-2009,” which brings to light to the slowing progress in youth smoking prevention.

The CDC studied cigarette smoking trends among high school students in the United States by analyzing data from the 1991-2009 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS), which are conducted every two years among high school students in grades ninth through twelve. When looking at three different variables: ever smoked cigarettes (whether a student had ever smoked, even just one puff), current cigarette use (whether a student had smoked at least one day in the past thirty days), and current frequent cigarette use (whether a student had smoked at least twenty days or more during the past thirty days), researchers found that high school smoking rates dropped rapidly in the late 1990s. However, the rate of decline substantially slowed down after 2003 and has continued to only decline very gradually since then. When analyzing data from different racial and gender groups for current cigarette use, rates also declined rapidly in the late 1990s and then either continued to decline gradually or leveled off after 2003 for all subgroups except for black female students, for whom current cigarette use continued to decline after 1999 without slowing.

These slowing rates have led to our failure to meet the Healthy People 2010 national health objective to reduce the prevalence of current cigarette use among high school students to 16% or less. It is noteworthy that the 2009 YRBS survey was administered before the federal tax increase for cigarettes and before the Family Smoking Prevention Act went into effect, both of which aim to reduce youth smoking. However, much work needs to be done if we are to address these slowing declines in current cigarette smoking trends among high school students in the United States.

Partnership for Prevention agrees with the CDC’s recommendations for “reductions in advertising, promotions, and commercial availability of tobacco products… combined with expanded counter-advertising mass media campaigns and… other well-documented and effective strategies (e.g., higher prices for tobacco products through increases in excise taxes, tobacco free environments, programs that promote changes in social norms, and comprehensive communitywide and school-based tobacco-use prevention policies).”

Additionally, in a recent column in Kaiser Health News, “The Prevention Dilemma,” Rob Gould states that tobacco control should be the top priority for health reform funding and youth prevention placed at the top of the list. He argues for a “nationwide public education campaign modeled on the highly successful Truth® campaign that dissuades thousands of young people from initiating tobacco use and encourages smoking cessation.”

The MMWR brings disappointing news in terms of tobacco control, yet hopefully can be the driving force to focus our public health and policies and resources on preventing youth smoking and make this a healthier nation.

Katie Burggraf
Partnership for Prevention Intern
Click here for more information.

The Obesity Epidemic: State- and District-Level Policies Are Leaving Adolescents Behind

Katie Burggraf — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:20:00 GMT

As a nation we are concerned about childhood/adolescent obesity and overweight, yet state and district-level policies regarding physical education, physical activity, and nutrition are significantly lacking, especially at the middle and high school level. Students at the middle and high school level have the highest rates of obesity among all children and adolescents. Judging by these facts, you would think that more state- and district-level policies would be in place to help counter the growing obesity epidemic among this age-group. However, a recent publication by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) titled “Obesity Prevention for Middle and High Schools: Are We Doing Enough?,” reviewed state-level and district-level policies regarding physical activity and nutrition and found a strong paradox: “while adolescents have the highest rates of obesity, are the least physically active, and consume more junk food and sugary beverages, both state- and district-level policies addressing these issues in the school environment are often more frequent and restrictive at the elementary level. In addition, in many areas, policies are simply not addressing critical components of school nutrition and physical activity at any level.”

The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that children and adolescents obtain at least 30 minutes of the required 60 minutes per day of physical activity at school. Despite this guideline, NASBE’s survey found that only three states required time in minutes outside of physical education, only 20% of states had a required time and/or frequency for physical education at the high school level, and only 34% of states requiring physical education at the middle school level had a time frequency requirement. In addition, no states and only 8% of districts had a high school requirement for a percentage of class time to be spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and only 6% of states and 9% of districts had this requirement at a middle school level. Finally, 82% of states had a high school physical education requirement but 28% of these states had liberal exemption policies.

Regarding nutrition, only three states had policies which aimed at increasing access to fruits and vegetables at the middle and high school level and only three states had a policy restricting food marketing. In addition, only 22% of states required nutrition standards limiting fats, sugar, calories, and/or portion sizes in middle and high schools. 38% of states and 49% of districts had nutrition standard policies in high schools, 46% of states and 51% of districts had these standards in middle schools, and 50% of states had these standards in elementary schools. Finally, only three states and 2% of districts had policies at the middle and high school levels that prohibited all sodas (both regular and diet) and all other sugar-sweetened beverages and 30% of states only prohibited regular sugar-sweetened sodas.

All this data brings up one major question: Why aren’t states and districts pushing for more frequent and stronger policies regarding physical activity and nutrition? After all, we have a growing epidemic on our hands and children and adolescents are at the heart of it. Currently, an estimated 34% of adolescents are overweight or obese and this trend is only increasing. If widespread policies are not adopted soon these overweight children and adolescents will become overweight or obese adults, threatened by preventable chronic diseases since “overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults.” While it is true that middle and high schools have many demands including increasing overall student achievement and decreasing drop-out rates, this does not mean that physical activity and nutrition should fall by the wayside. By placing physical activity and nutrition at the bottom of the priority list, schools may in fact be negatively affecting the overall success of their students since “overweight and obese students are more likely to have greater rates of absenteeism and experience more bullying and teasing, which may affect their academic performance and achievement.”

So, are we actually doing enough?

The answer is No. Policies and programs addressing middle and high schools need to be more frequent, more restrictive, and required rather than merely suggested. The promotion of physical activity and nutrition needs to be widespread at all school levels: elementary, middle, and high school. We may gasp at the obesity problem and encourage children and adolescents to exercise and eat healthfully, but if our policies do not match our message then we are failing the students we intend to serve.

Note: All direct quotes come from NASBE’s May 2010 publication, “Obesity Prevention for Middle and High Schools: Are We Doing Enough?” which can be found here.

Kathryn Burggraf
Tobacco Control Intern
Partnership for Prevention
Click here for more information.

Public Transit Systems Contribute To Weight Loss, Adult Obesity Rates Rose in 28 States Named “Best, Worst Prevention Ideas of the Week”

Brian McCue — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:59:00 GMT

A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showing that the construction of a light-rail system (LRT) resulted in increased physical activity and subsequent weight loss was named the “Best Prevention Idea of the Week,” while the recent report from Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) that 28 US states saw obesity rates increase last year was named the “Worst Prevention Idea of the Week."

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. Nominees are submitted by Partnership staff as well as the general public, and are voted on by the staff. Partnership for Prevention is a nonpartisan organization of business, nonprofit and government leaders who are working to make evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion a national priority. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org .

BEST

New Study Finds Public Transit Systems Contribute To Weight Loss and Improved Health

Increasing the availability of public transit systems is one among a number of modifications to the built environment that offers opportunities for increasing physical activity and reducing the prevalence of obesity and its associated problems. In a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and the RAND Corporation found that construction of a light-rail system (LRT) resulted in increased physical activity (walking) and subsequent weight loss by people served by the LRT. These findings suggest that improving neighborhood environments and increasing the public's use of LRT systems could improve health outcomes and potentially impact millions of individuals.

WORST

Adult Obesity Rates Rose in 28 States and Fell in Just One

28 US states saw obesity rates still rising last year, while the only place to experience a decline was the District of Columbia (D.C.), F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010, according to a report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). In 38 US states more than 25% of the adult population is obese. 19 years ago the number of US states with an obesity rate of over 20% was zero.

The USA has had the highest adult obesity rate in the world for several years.

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National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

Rebecca Doigan — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:28:00 GMT

On Monday and Tuesday the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention held its 8th annual meeting in Washington DC. The meeting focused on developing the will to prevent heart disease and stroke in the public and private sectors, including drawing attention to the recently released Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports on hypertension and sodium reduction.

Dr. David Fleming, the chair of the IOM Committee on Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake and a member of Partnership for Prevention’s National Commission on Prevention Priorities (NCPP), presented information about actions that can be taken by food manufacturers, the federal government, and public health professionals to reduce the sodium content in foods. The sodium plenary session was timely, occurring a few days after Partnership’s congressional briefing on reducing sodium consumption.

Another highlight from the meeting was a session on connecting traditional and emerging communication approaches to change behavior. Dr. Rob Gould, President and CEO of Partnership, spoke about behavior change and exciting new methods of communication. Other panelists hailed from the CDC, NIH, and Pew Research Center.

The National Forum on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention works to provide leadership and facilitate collaboration among those committed to preventing heart disease and stroke. Partnership participated in last year’s Forum Symposium on the Health Economics of Cardiovascular Disease, and recently joined as a Forum member. Partnership’s work in cardiovascular disease prevention includes its Aspirin Task Force , a multidisciplinary group of medical professionals committed to promoting aspirin for primary prevention of heart disease and stroke, as well as projects in its priority areas of tobacco cessation and control, and poor nutrition and physical inactivity (obesity). For more information on the Forum and the Annual Meeting, please click here.
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Technology to Inform Partners about Possible STD Infection Now a National Service

Christianne Johnson — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:28:00 GMT

InSPOT a website to help people who are infected with STDs inform their sex partners about testing and treatment options using playful, serious, and humorous e-cards that link to free and low-cost testing services, is now available throughout the U.S.

The service was first launched by ISIS in 2004 in response to a significant rise in syphilis in San Francisco and continues to be "an innovative way to empower people who are diagnosed with a STD take charge of their own sex lives". The site currently has about 15,000 users annually in 13 states and 11 cities, and with this national expansion, ISIS projects that users will jump to nearly 150,000 in 40 states and 25 cities by 2013.

Partner notification plays a significant role in reducing STD rates by finding and treating people who have had contact with an infected person before they can pass the disease onto others. InSPOT provides a clever, easy, inexpensive way for people to notify their partners, especially if they are uncomfortable having a face-to-face or phone conversation about this often embarrassing topic, or if they don't know their partner very well.

Click here for more information.

Colon Cancer Test that Saves Lives, Americans Living in Unclean Air Named “Best, Worst Prevention Ideas of the Week”

Prevent Staff — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:28:00 GMT

The five minute flexi-scope colon cancer test that could reduce the number of deaths from the disease by about 40 percent was named the “Best Prevention Idea of the Week,” while a report showing that six in 10 Americans live in areas with unclean air was named the “Worst Prevention Idea of the Week."

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. Nominees are submitted by Partnership staff as well as the general public, and are voted on by the staff. Partnership for Prevention is a nonpartisan organization of business, nonprofit and government leaders who are working to make evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion a national priority. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org .

BEST

Colon cancer test could save thousands in Britain

A five-minute colon cancer test could reduce the number of deaths from the disease by about 40 percent, a new study says. British researchers followed more than 170,000 people for about 11 years. Of those, more than 40,000 had a "flexi-scope" test, an exam that removes polyps, small growths that could become cancerous. Researchers compared those results to more than 113,000 people who were not screened. They found the flexi-scope test reduced peoples' chances of getting colon cancer by one third. It also cut their chances of dying by 43 percent. Researchers said the test needed to be done just once in a person's lifetime.

WORST

Report: Most Americans still live in unclean air

Six in 10 Americans - about 175 million people - are living in places where air pollution often reaches dangerous levels, despite progress in reducing particle pollution, the American Lung Association said in a report released last Wednesday. The Los Angeles area had the nation's worst ozone pollution.

The report examined fine particulate matter over 24-hour periods and as a year-round average. Bakersfield, Calif., had the worst short-term particle pollution, and the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area of Arizona had the worst year-round particle pollution.

The U.S. cities with the cleanest air were Fargo, N.D., Wahpeton, N.D., and Lincoln, Neb.

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Partnership featured in Inc. Magazine Article on Worksite Wellness

Prevent Staff — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:27:00 GMT

On April 28th Partnership's Garry Lindsay was interviewed by Sarah Kessler for her Inc. magazine article “How to Start a Wellness Program." Kessler's article includes several links for free resources from Partnership for Prevention and other sources that can be used by small to mid-sized employers to plan and implement worksite health promotion programs.
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World No Tobacco Day 2010

David Zauche — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:27:00 GMT

The World Health Organization’s World No Tobacco Day 2010 will be celebrated on May 31. This year’s health theme is “Gender and Tobacco”, with an emphasis on marketing to women. Though women comprise only 20% of the world’s one billion smokers, the rise in prevalence, especially among girls, is alarming.

The new WHO report, Women and Health, cites the fact that the tobacco industry has ramped up its marketing efforts to women in countries worldwide.

Details about the event and the 2010 focus on women can be found on the WHO website.

On World No Tobacco Day 2010, and throughout the following year, WHO will encourage governments to pay particular attention to protecting women from the tobacco companies' attempts to lure them into lifetimes of nicotine dependence. By responding to WHO's call, governments can reduce the toll of fatal and crippling heart attacks, strokes, cancers and respiratory diseases that have become increasingly prevalent among women. Tobacco use could kill one billion people during this century. Recognizing the importance of reducing tobacco use among women, and acting upon that recognition, would save many lives.

David Zauche
Managing Senior Fellow & Senior Program Officer
Partnership for Prevention

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New Regulations Go Into Effect: The One Year Anniversary of the Tobacco Control Act

Kathryn Burggraf — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:27:00 GMT

A year ago today, June 22, 2009, President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act), which places the regulation of tobacco products under the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Under the provisions of this Act, the FDA established the Center for Tobacco Products whose main goals include preventing the initiation of tobacco use among America’s children and adolescents; aiding adults with tobacco cessation; supplying the public with necessary information on the ingredients of tobacco products and the potential harms of using tobacco products; and using the regulation of tobacco products to protect the public from the health burden of tobacco, which is currently the leading cause of preventable disease in the United States.

So what happens today, June 22, 2010?

Today, new restrictions on tobacco product sales and marketing go into effect. These include the banning of descriptors such as “light,” “mild,” and “low” in cigarette and smokeless tobacco labeling and advertisements; larger and more graphic warning labels on smokeless tobacco products and advertisements; and the implementation of the 1996 Rule on Youth Access and Marketing. This rule aims to prevent the use of tobacco related products among America’s youth through regulations that prohibit the sale of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to minors under federal law; ban tobacco related sponsorships of athletic, social, and other cultural events; and prohibit the sale of cigarette packages with less than twenty cigarettes.

And what should we look for in the future?

In the future the FDA is looking to develop tobacco product standards, regulate the introduction of new tobacco products, and place larger and more graphic warning labels on cigarette packaging and advertisements. Until then, the FDA urges states and localities to continue implementing tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws, funding for tobacco prevention and cessation, and coverage for smoking cessation services – all of which have proven to be effective in controlling the use of tobacco.

As Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation explains, “Tobacco use is a contributing factor to dozens of diseases and conditions that impact American and accounts for $96 billion each year in health care costs. This groundbreaking legislation is a big investment in prevention that will help all Americans lead healthier lives.”

Read more about the Tobacco Control Act’s One Year Anniversary by clicking here.

Kathryn Burggraf
Tobacco Control Intern
Partnership for Prevention

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Healthy Diet Helps to Decrease Colorectal Cancer Risk, Slight Increase in Tobacco Sales to Minors Named "Best, Worst Prevention Ideas of the Week"

Brian McCue — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:27:00 GMT

A new study showing that eating a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer was named the “Best Prevention Idea of the Week,” while the recent Synar report revealing the national weighted average rate of tobacco sales to minors increased, from 9.9 percent in FFY 2008, to 10.9 percent in FFY 2009 was named the “Worst Prevention Idea of the Week."

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. Nominees are submitted by Partnership staff as well as the general public, and are voted on by the staff. Partnership for Prevention is a nonpartisan organization of business, nonprofit and government leaders who are working to make evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion a national priority. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org .

BEST

Healthy Diet May Cut Colorectal Cancer Risk

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, and fish may reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, according to a new study. Although previous studies have produced conflicting findings about the effectiveness of such a diet, the new research found a benefit.

''We found that eating a largely plant-based diet with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and low-fat dairy in women and fish in men was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer," says Paige Miller, PhD, a researcher at Pennsylvania State University.

Eating in this healthful way reduced the risk of colon cancer by 65% in women and by 62% in men, she says. ''Why fish was a part of the protective dietary pattern only in men and low-fat diary only in women is not known at this time," Miller tells WebMD.

WORST

Reverse in Trend – Tobacco Sales to Minors No Longer Declining

Although illegal sales of tobacco have decreased over the past 13 years, 2009 sees the first slight upward tick in sales to minors. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recently announced that all the states and the District of Columbia have continued to meet their goals of curtailing sales of tobacco to underage youth (those under 18). However, in federal fiscal year 2009, for the first time ever, the data show a slight increase in the average national rate of tobacco sales to underage youth of about one percent. States goals, set under the Synar Amendment program – a federal and state partnership, are aimed at ending illegal tobacco sales to minors. The increase in the rate may be due to States reducing the number of enforcement inspections they conduct in the face of State budget cuts.

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Public Comments Urged on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Proposed Tobacco Cessation Measure

David Zauche — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:27:00 GMT

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a new measure, which is still preliminary, that would expand coverage for evidence-based tobacco cessation counseling for all Medicare recipients. Current Medicare language limits reimbursement for tobacco cessation counseling to patients who have a tobacco-related disease.

The CMS has set a period of time for Public Comments on the proposed determination, after which they will issue a final decision. This period ends June 27, 2010. Partnership for Prevention urges you to offer your own public comment in support of tobacco cessation counseling for Medicare beneficiaries. It’s easy to do – just click on this link, then click on the orange “Comment” button at the top. Type in the box whatever you see fit to communicate about this matter.

As an example, here’s what I wrote in my message to the CMS this morning:

I am writing to express my strong support for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed decision to extend tobacco cessation counseling to all Medicare beneficiaries. It is Partnership for Prevention's position that this policy will help many tobacco users break free from a deadly behavior, people who otherwise would have been unable to do so. Undoubtedly, many lives will be extended and much money saved if this decision is enacted.

Not only is tobacco cessation counseling a Grade A rated recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, it is also received the highest ranking by Partnership for Prevention's National Commission on Prevention Priorities. In that review, physician tobacco cessation counseling was one of only three clinical preventive services to receive the highest score for cost and prevention effectiveness.

I urge the CMS to move forward with this critical public health measure when the public comment period has concluded. The entire Medicare community deserves to benefit from this service, not only those who have been diagnosed with a tobacco related illness. After all, that's what prevention is all about.

It is important that the CMS hears from constituents who support disease prevention, health promotion, and tobacco cessation. If enacted, this measure represents a lifesaving advance in our capacity to guarantee that all tobacco users have access to evidence-based tobacco cessation counseling. A significant public health benefit will be realized.

David Zauche
Senior Program Officer
Partnership for Prevention

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Breastfeeding Boosts Babies’ Immune Systems, Cartoon Characters Selling Unhealthy Foods Named "Best, Worst Prevention Ideas of the Week"

Brian McCue — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:27:00 GMT

A new study showing that babies who were breast-fed had a lower risk of infections was named the “Best Prevention Idea of the Week,” while children finding foods tastier when their package displays a cartoon was named the “Worst Prevention Idea of the Week."

The “Best/Worst” awards are announced each week in “Prevention Matters,” the blog of Partnership for Prevention. Nominees are submitted by Partnership staff as well as the general public, and are voted on by the staff. Partnership for Prevention is a nonpartisan organization of business, nonprofit and government leaders who are working to make evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion a national priority. More information is available at http://www.prevent.org .

BEST

Breast Milk Reduces Infections in Babies

Breast-feeding seems to provide an immune system boost to infants, helping to prevent respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses in babies, according to new research.

Babies who were breast-fed exclusively for 4 months, and then partially until they were 6 months old, had a reduced risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections compared to babies who had never been breast-fed, the Dutch team found. "Exclusive breast-feeding reduces respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in infancy," said the study's senior author, Dr. Henriette Moll, a professor of pediatrics at Erasmus Medical Center's Sophia's Children's Hospital in Rotterdam.

WORST

Cartoon Characters Sell Kids on Unhealthy Foods

Popular cartoon characters are influencing the taste preferences of very young children, and not in a positive way, a new study suggests. Researchers found that the branding of American food product packaging with characters such as Dora the Explorer drives preschoolers to choose higher-calorie, less healthful foods over more nutritious options.

"The bottom line is that when kids are presented with a choice of graham crackers, fruit snacks or carrots, and the only difference is that one package has a licensed character on it, they actually think that the food with the character tastes better," said study author Christina Roberto, a doctoral student working at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

The findings, reported online June 21 in Pediatrics, reflect on the food preferences of 4- to 6-year-old boys and girls who found foods tastier when the packaging bore the likenesses of beloved TV and movie characters.

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