Join We Breathe and RISE for a LGBTQ/Rural webinar on April 21st!

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We Breathe: Supporting Tobacco-Free LGBTQ Communities and RISE: Rural Initiatives Strengthening Equity is proud to collaborate on a LGBTQ/Rural webinar.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) individuals continue to face greater health threats and disparities than their heterosexual peers. Importantly, LGBTQ are members of every community, and include people of all races and ethnicities, all ages, all faiths and socioeconomic statuses, and from all parts of California. Although much has changed socially and politically regarding the social and legal status of LGBTQ persons, issues of marginalization, stigmatization, and homophobia continue to plague the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ individuals in rural environments continue to face greater psychosocial and health disparities compared to their urban LGBTQ counterparts.
Public Health Departments have an essential role to play across the lifespan of LGBT individuals. This webinar will provide an overview of the experience of LGBT individuals in rural environments. Throughout the webinar participants can expect to gain knowledge about issues facing rural LGBTQ persons, existing community strengths, as well as resources and tools to interact with rural LGBTQ clients and communities.
Objectives:
  1. Discuss the existing challenges and opportunities facing LGBTQ individuals in rural environments.
  2. Participate in an in-depth LGBTQ 101 and terminology learning session
  3. Assess and validate appropriate resources for use with LGBTQ clients and community members.

 

You may register for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8540633995568477452

For more information, please contact Dannie Cesena at dcesena@health-access.orgor Megan Armstrong at marmstrong@buttecounty.net

COVID-19 Communications Resources from CTCP

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The California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP) heard from numerous projects requesting tools to help educate their communities about the adverse effect smoking and vaping appear to have on one’s susceptibility to and ability to cope with coronavirus (COVID-19). To assist, CTCP’s media unit has gathered several resources, including sample social media content, which can be used by funded projects.
The resources are saved to the Public Relations tab within the Media & Communications section in Partners and can be viewed HERE.

Stay healthy & safe, LOOP Community!

Did You Know? Blacks, Compared to Whites, Are More Likely To Smoke In Mid-Adulthood

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Smoking and alcohol use have been posited as possible contributors to racial health disparities, despite higher smoking and alcohol use among non-Hispanic White youth and young adults compared to Blacks. A newly published study assessed variation in alcohol and cigarette use across two distinct points of the life course. Self-report alcohol and cigarette use were collected between age 15-17 and at mean age 50.

 

Findings included:

  • White participants were more likely to drink regularly and be intoxicated  in adolescence compared with Blacks.
  • In mid-adulthood, Whites remained more likely to currently drink but among drinkers, less likely to binge drink.
  • White participants were less likely to smoke in mid-adulthood but among smokers, were more likely to smoke ≥ ½ a pack per day.

 

The researchers concluded that Blacks were less likely to engage in drinking across the life course, but, among drinkers, more likely to binge drink in mid-adulthood. Blacks were more likely to smoke in mid-adulthood, but smoked infrequently compared with Whites.

 

Source: Pamplin et al. (2019). Racial differences in alcohol and tobacco use in adolescence and mid-adulthood in a community-based sample. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Sep 21. [Epub ahead of print]

UCSF Issues Article About How Quitting Smoking & Vaping Can Reduce Your Risk of Corona Virus

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On March 6, 2020, UCSF’s Stanton A. Glantz, PhD, Director of the Center for Tobacco Research Control & Education, published an article called “Reduce your risk of serious lung disease caused by corona virus by quitting smoking and vaping.”
In the article, Dr. Glantz states that “When someone’s lungs are exposed to flu or other infections the adverse effects of smoking or vaping are much more serious than among people who do not smoke or vape.”
He goes on to say in closing that “This would also be a good time for cities, states private employers and even individual families to strengthen their smokefree laws and policies – including e-cigarettes — to protect nonsmokers from the effects of secondhand smoke and aerosol on their lungs and to create an environment that will help smokers quit.”

Did You Know? Flavors Like Menthol/Mint, Fruit and Candy Appeal to Young Tobacco Users

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A recently published study examined youth preference for flavored tobacco products.

Findings included:

  • Prevalence of flavored tobacco product use was highest among youth, followed by young adults and adult 25+.
  • Within each age group, flavored use was greatest among hookah, e-cigarette and snus users.
  • Overall, menthol/mint, fruit and candy/sweet were the most prevalent flavor types at first and past 30-day use across age groups.
  • For past 30-day use, all flavor types except menthol/mint exhibited an inverse age gradient, with more prevalent use among youth and young adults, followed by adults 25+.
  • Prevalence of menthol/mint use was high (over 50% youth, young adults; 76% adults 25+).
  • Brand-categorized and self-reported flavor use measures among adults 18+ were moderately to substantially concordant across most products.

 

The researchers concluded that these findings can inform tobacco flavor regulations to address flavor appeal especially among youth.

 

Source: Rose et al. (2019). Flavour types used by youth and adult tobacco users in wave 2 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study 2014-2015. Tobacco Control, Sep 21. [Epub ahead of print]

LOOP Director Dr. Valerie Yerger Speaks to Cal Poly Students about Tobacco-Related Health Disparities

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On February 13, 2020, Dr. Yerger had the opportunity to “wake up” undergraduate students from various disciplines at the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus to tobacco-related health disparities. Her talk was part of Cal Poly’s “Inclusion Starts With Me” teach-in workshop.

As the California Tobacco Control Program is moving towards its EndGame, where the goal is to reach a statewide 0% smoking prevalence by the year 2035, Dr. Yerger is committed to there being no one “left behind.” An analogy she often references is that the EndGame is like a powerful, fast-moving locomotive, with a seat for everyone, that has already left the station. Dr. Yerger believes that to fill these seats, it is imperative to engage with priority populations, to reach out to non-traditional partners, and to inspire those who have not considered working in tobacco control to rethink their future career paths.

 

The LOOP Team is continually working toward the EndGame of 2035!

Young Adults’ Secondhand Smoke Exposure in San Francisco’s Multi-Unit Housing

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A newly published study evaluated young adults’ exposure to drifting secondhand smoke in San Francisco County housing units using the 2014 Bay Area Young Adult Health Survey (N = 1363). Specifically, the study examined whether residing in multiunit housing or in areas with greater neighborhood disorder were risk factors for exposure, and how drifting smoke exposure varied spatially within San Francisco County.

 

Findings included:

  • Residing in buildings with five or more units significantly increased the odds of reporting drifting smoke exposure.
  • Neighborhood disorder was significantly associated with exposure in lower income residential and downtown areas.
  • Multiunit housing was significantly associated with exposure across all neighborhoods.

 

Source: Holmes et al. (2019). Drifting Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Young Adults in Multiunit Housing. Journal of Community Health, Sep 18. [Epub ahead of print]