Raising the smoking age to 21 could curb access to tobacco products at an early age, which could lead reductions in smoking prevalence, said Dr. Daniel Ouellette, a Henry Ford Hospital pulmonologist. “Most of my patients are diagnosed with emphysema or lung cancer at a relatively young age from smoking, despite the media attention given to the health risks of smoking, and despite them knowing about those risks,” Oulette said. Smoking causes 1 in 5 deaths in the United States and is linked to cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to the CDC. Oulette warns that based on current smoking rates 5.6 million Americans under 18 will die during their lifetime due to smoking and tobacco products. Need help to kick ...
Technology is a promising way to help smokers quit, given the dire health and cancer consequences of smoking. What technologies are working? Let’s use #SaludTues on Oct. 20, 2015, to tweet information, resources, and tips that can uncover the ways technology can help people kick the habit now (and for good!): WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Quitting Smoking with the Help of Technology”
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOST: The CDC (@CDCTobaccoFree)
SPECIAL GUEST: The American Lung Association (@LungAssociation) We’ll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we explore: How much do people smoke (and why quit)?
What technologies are emerging to ...
Smoking is a tough opponent to beat. Quitxt is a new free service that turns your mobile phone into a personal coach to help you quit smoking, using interactive and entertaining text messages, online support, hip-hop music, and videos designed for South Texas young adults by researchers at UT Health San Antonio. The service’s text messages help with motivation to quit, setting a quit date, finding things to do instead of smoking, handling stress, using nicotine replacement if needed, and more. To join Quitxt in English, text “iquit” to 844-332-2058. For Spanish, text “lodejo” to 844-332-2058. “Text-message applications have scientifically proven to roughly double one’s odds of quitting smoking, so we developed Quitxt specifically for young adults to ...
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Latino men and second-leading cause among Latina women, statistics show. Why is this happening—and how can all people quit smoking and tobacco for good? Let’s use #SaludTues on June 23, 2015, to tweet information, resources, and tips that can help people both young and old kick the habit now (and kick the habit for good!): WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Get More Latinos to Quit Smoking”
DATE: Tuesday, June 23, 2015
TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT)
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (@VeteransHealth), the National Cancer Institute (@SmokefreeUS) Be sure to use the hashtag #SaludTues to follow the conversation on ...
The month of May is Healthy Vision Month, a time to consider how our vision impacts our overall health and understand the importance of eye health. “When you make healthy lifestyle choices, like eating a balanced diet and staying physically active, you are also protecting your vision. In fact, there are several health conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, that can increase your risk of some eye diseases,” according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). With the help of NEI, let’s prioritize our eyes for Healthy Vision Month.
Get an Eye Exam
A comprehensive dilated eye exam helps check for eye diseases early on. “Even if your eyes feel healthy, you could have a problem and not know it. That’s because many eye diseases don’t have any symptoms or warning ...
May is recognized as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, a time to learn about the impact of bladder cancer and spread awareness about bladder cancer resources. The American Cancer Society estimates about 84,530 new cases of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is the fourth-most common cancer in men and 1 of 4 bladder cancer patients are women. Have you or someone in your family recently been diagnosed and aren’t sure where to start? Check out the following helpful resources from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN). 1. Bladder Cancer Support Line (Bilingual) BCAN’s Bladder Cancer Support Line offers support by connecting patients with professional oncology social workers. “The call center’s staff will address the emotional, practical and informational ...
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering whether to allow some flavored e-cigarettes on the market, according to new draft guidance. However, any new vape flavors could only be marketed to adults. Under the new guidance, the FDA may approve vape flavors like “mint, coffee, tea and spices like clove or cinnamon,” but it “will continue rejecting sweet or fruit-flavored products” that appeal more to teens, according to HealthDay, a news agency. FDA states that certain e-cigarette flavors can help facilitate adults switching away from tobacco cigarettes and increase quit attempts. However, public health leaders warn of harm. “Allowing any flavors on the market benefits only corporations and harms public health,” Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy of Action on Smoking ...
From acute bronchitis to car accidents to overdoses, you never know what is going to come through the doors of an emergency room. However, the ER isn’t only for severe situations – some use it for primary care. This is because the ER has an obligation to treat patients despite someone’s insurance or lack of insurance. That’s why it tends to expose cracks in the health care system. The flaws of health care are mirrored in the HBO TV series The Pitt. The fictional series, set inside a Pittsburg teaching hospital, primarily caters to low-income individuals, celebrates differences, brings awareness to relevant issues, and provides commentary on the US healthcare crisis. Here are some of the ways The Pitt shows how to address the Latino health care crisis. ...
Nicotine-based vapes, or e-cigarettes, are likely to cause cancers of the lung and oral cavity, according to a new study led by the UK’s University of South Wales. “[Our study] is the most definitive determination that those who vape are at increased risk of cancer compared to those who don’t,” said study leader Bernard Stewart. Let’s dive into what the study results mean for those who vape.
E-Cigarettes and Cancer Risk
Little attention has focused on whether e-cigarettes might cause cancer on their own. So, study researchers – pharmacists, epidemiologists, thoracic surgeons, and public health experts – examined clinical studies, animal experiments, and laboratory research to understand the chemicals produced by e-cigarettes, according to a news release. They ...
268 People Commented to Urge the FDA to Reconsider Allowing Flavored E-Cigarettes
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering whether to allow some flavored e-cigarettes on the market, according to new draft guidance. However, any new vape flavors could only be marketed to adults. Under the new guidance, the FDA may approve vape flavors like “mint, coffee, tea and spices like clove or cinnamon,” but it “will continue rejecting sweet or fruit-flavored products” that appeal more to teens, according to HealthDay, a news agency. FDA states that certain e-cigarette flavors can help facilitate adults switching away from tobacco cigarettes and increase quit attempts. However, public health leaders warn of harm. “Allowing any flavors on the market benefits only corporations and harms public health,” Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy of Action on Smoking ...
Read More